Care And Support Open Framework
Framework Description
Wokingham Borough Council's Care and Support Open Framework is the council's route for commissioning adult social care and support. It goes live on 1 November 2026, replacing the Care and Support Framework used since 2021, which ends on 31 October 2026. Expected spend is around £25m a year. As an open framework, it has regular reopening points when new providers can be admitted.
Context & Use Case
Wokingham's adult social care commissioners use it to buy homecare, reablement and other support for residents. Providers must meet both quality and price standards to be accepted, and must keep meeting those standards to remain on the framework. The council wants a varied local care market, with a transparent and proportionate way for providers to qualify.
Scope of Services
Homecare Reablement Registered care and support services Unregistered care and support services Support services
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
Homecare, reablement and support providers able to serve Wokingham residents, including small local organisations. Registered providers will need CQC registration. Because the framework reopens at regular points, providers not admitted at launch can apply at a later reopening.
Buyer Benefits
The council gets a list of providers that already meet its price and quality thresholds, so care can be arranged quickly. Ongoing checks mean it can remove providers whose standards slip. Regular reopenings help the council attract new providers where capacity is short and support a more resilient local care market.
Next Steps
Read the Find a Tender notice (006780-2026) for the quality and price standards and how reopening points work. Prepare your CQC registration, safeguarding policy, staffing figures and a sustainable hourly rate, so you are ready to apply at the next reopening. Providers on the 2021 framework should note that it ends on 31 October 2026.
How Athena Can Help
Athena's framework registration team can prepare your application for the next reopening, answering the quality questions and checking your submission against Wokingham's standards.
Price is a gateway here as well as quality, so our pricing and bid support helps you set rates that meet the price standard and stay viable. For smaller providers, our public sector bidding advice covers social value, the evidence commissioners expect and the steps to qualifying. We can also run a Bid Health Check on your draft before it goes in.
