Local authorities commission domiciliary care through several mechanisms including approved provider lists (sometimes called dynamic purchasing systems or frameworks), spot-purchase arrangements for individual clients, block contracts for guaranteed hours in specific geographic areas, direct payment support where the client manages their own personal budget, and NHS Continuing Healthcare packages for people with primary health needs. The route your local authority uses determines how you access referrals and how your service is funded.
To be eligible for local authority or NHS commissioning, you typically need to demonstrate CQC registration with no enforcement actions, evidence of robust safeguarding, recruitment, and quality assurance systems, financial viability and business sustainability, experience and competence in supporting your target client group, compliance with the Care Act 2014, competitive hourly rates that meet local authority rate bands, and evidence of person-centred practice, positive outcomes, and client involvement in care planning.