Dementia Support and Energy Safeguarding Collaborative Project

This direct award represents the continuation of an established and successful partnership from GD3, enabling uninterrupted delivery of support to people living with dementia and those affected by dementia across the Cadent, Wales & West Utilities and SGN network areas. Alzheimer's Society is uniquely positioned to deliver this service due to its specialist expertise, national reach, established referral pathways, trusted reputation within the dementia community, and existing infrastructure developed through the previous contract period.

The proposed service builds upon the outcomes achieved during GD3 by expanding the capability of Dementia Advisers to provide customers with tailored advice and support relating to carbon monoxide safety awareness, Priority Services Register registration, energy efficiency, income maximisation, Locking Cooker Valves, and Easy Assist products. This integrated approach supports vulnerable customers through a single trusted point of contact, improving engagement and reducing duplication of services.

A competitive procurement exercise is unlikely to deliver additional value due to the specialist nature of the service, the significant investment already made in developing the partnership, and the requirement to maintain continuity of support for a vulnerable customer group. Awarding the contract directly mitigates the risk of service disruption, loss of knowledge, and reduced customer engagement that could arise through transitioning to an alternative provider.

The direct award therefore represents the most effective and proportionate route to secure continuation of this established service, maximise social value outcomes, and ensure ongoing support for customers living with dementia across the GDN footprint.