Prior Information Notice (PIN): 520 - Local Welfare Support - Domestic Relief Furniture Packages

Wigan Council wishes to establish a contract for the provision of domestic relief furniture packages across the Borough. The contract will be for an initial period of 3 years with the option to extend for two further separate 1-year periods. Therefore, a 5-year contract term. We would like to identify one or multiple organisations to deliver and sustain a furniture service for crisis furniture referrals without the reliance of future funding, which will form part of the evaluation and scoring criteria of submissions. The service will commence on 1st April 2025 and the successful bidder will be required to deliver and sustain a furniture service for crisis furniture referrals which should be easily accessible across the borough and deliver positive outcomes for those in crisis. Provision of furniture will be considered for vulnerable people in financial crisis to support a return to or to allow a person to remain in the community or to ease exceptional financial pressure on families. An application for furniture through Local Welfare Support does not give automatic entitlement to an award of a domestic relief furniture pack. The discretionary nature of this scheme will require the consideration of individual needs on all applications and the availability of funds within the limited budget. The wide variety of individual circumstances will mean a decision in one case does not constitute a precedent for others.