Enabling, developing, and co-producing a London-wide Advice Strategy in uncertain times.
The vision
“Over the next decade all Londoners will have improved access to the help they need by improving the quality, reach and access to social welfare advice. We want individuals to know where to go to access support when they need it.”
Research has highlighted several complex and interconnected challenges facing London’s advice sector, ranging from the rising demand for advice services, to shrinking funding, insufficient infrastructure, gaps in organisational capacity, and workforce development challenges. Under the Advice Workforce Development Fund, a Roadmap was put together to develop a London wide advice strategy capable of addressing the sector’s wider challenges in a systemic and collaborative way with a broad range of cross sectoral stakeholders. This identified six key focussed thematic/priority objectives emerging for strategic development at a regional level:
- Improved quality, reach, and access to the full range of social welfare advice for Londoners
- Londoners empowered to manage their needs and realise their rights
- Standards for service delivery that are co-owned and adaptable.
- Long-term sustainable funding beyond reliance on independent trusts and foundations.
- Enhanced collaboration across statutory, local, and community providers.
- A well supported and skilled workforce
We are seeking tenders for the further development of the advice strategy. The work will be guided by the Strategy Reference Group, drawn from organisations working across London’s advice sector and working as part of a broader Strategy Action Group, comprising advice agencies, network bodies, and funders.
The key project outputs are:
- A user engagement and research framework that ensures lived experience informs the strategy.
- An updated needs analysis and synthesis of relevant evidence.
- A stakeholder engagement framework and map of key partners and networks.
- A working draft London-wide Advice Strategy.
- A final London-wide Advice Strategy.
- An implementation framework identifying priorities, partnerships, governance arrangements and opportunities for influence and investment.
- An executive summary and other supporting materials required for dissemination and implementation.
We recognise that this project requires a range of different skills and so welcome applications from consortia and/or partnerships.
Tender information
Project timescale: January 2027 – June 2027
Primary contact: Kathleen Commons (kathleen@llst.org.uk)
Deadline for tender proposals: 5pm 30th November 2026
Approximate budget: £35,000, plus additional funds are available to reimburse service-users and organisations to participate in the research