General background

Due to the higher proportion of older people in the East Riding, there is a higher-than-average prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions1 which commonly affects older people and can impact on a person’s mobility and independence. There is also a higher prevalence of dementia than in the rest of England (0.9% compared to 0.7%).

Data projections for the coming decade suggest there may be significant increases in the number of older people in East Riding with diabetes, limiting long-term illnesses, visual and hearing impairments and who need support to undergo everyday activities.

Isolation and loneliness can also lead to mental and physical health issues. There are pockets within deprived urban areas where older people have a very high risk of loneliness.

While living rurally as an older person has its advantages, it also brings significant challenges. Research shows that older people who live in rural areas generally have higher living costs, housing that may be hard to heat and maintain, poor transport links and limited social networks. Travel times on public transport are considerably higher in rural areas of the county which can impact on people’s ability to access health and care services and to stay connected to their networks.

The emphasis of the council’s Health & Wellbeing Strategy 2023-2028 is on prevention and resilience for good health, which for older adults includes:

• to support creation of ‘active communities’ to help reduce, prevent and delay the need for services and improve healthy happy years of life.
• reducing social isolation, particularly for those groups identified as most vulnerable.

In the council’s business plan 2026-2027 a clear approach to the corporate prevention framework highlighting that resources are directed towards early action, long-term resilience, and improve quality of life for residents. The business plan focuses on prioritising actions to prevent crises which often lead to high-cost support and intervention.

While many older people require regulated care from a CQC registered carer, many residents require support with domiciliary needs, such as shopping, cleaning, cooking, transport, access to social activity, dog walking. These support needs can help residents remain independent in their own homes for longer delaying the need for higher levels of care.

The pressure on care services is huge at a time where there is increased demand from vulnerable people with a substantial growth of older people living in and moving to the East Riding. This creates a real opportunity to develop and support micro providers who can fill this gap.

Micro providers are businesses with fewer than five employees that offer paid services such as home maintenance, cleaning, gardening, companionship, dog walking, shopping, meal preparation, and personal care to people needing support at home.

Micro providers with fewer than 5 employees are not required to register with the CQC, which simplifies the registration process for these providers. The complexity of registration can be an obstacle for individuals considering establishing themselves as micro providers to address unmet needs in the East Riding.

About the scheme

Since 2024 a scheme has been developed and has delivered the following results:

• Engaged with 1109 individuals, resulting in 72 new micro providers
• After completing mandatory training and satisfying all quality standard requirements, 72 providers were granted full approval to operate throughout the East Riding
• Received 359 direct referrals for support
• Between November 2025 and 31 March 2026 there have been 129 referrals, of which 45 were from other agencies, 71 were self-referrals and 13 referrals were directly made from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, of which 6 are currently being delivered by micro providers (x1 is a direct payment)
• Of the 129 referrals made between November 2025 and March 2026, 50 jobs were filled by micro providers
• 1,100 care hours are provided weekly to residents
• 156 east riding residents received support from micro providers supporting residents.
• Provided 620 training and learning hours to new providers.
• Registered 64 micro providers on the PA recruitment tool with 33 active vacancies.
• 10 direct payments initially set up with 7 active direct payments allocated to providers
• 33 micro providers have attended network meetings
• 77 links with partner organisations, community groups, village halls, churches and services across the East Riding.

In March 2025 a social value evaluation was carried out utilising the Social Value Engine to assess the social impact generated to by the scheme. Between March 2024 and the end of February 2025, the East Riding of Yorkshire Micro Providers Care Scheme achieved £3.77 in social value for every pound invested.

The impact is assessed in relation to the East Riding priorities, with £343,967.19 of social impact attributed to economic growth and £80,424.25 achieved through the empowerment and support of communities.

Purpose of the scheme

An East Riding of Yorkshire Micro Providers Care Scheme to support the creation and development of micro providers. The scheme will support the development of micro providers by providing specialist care advice with mentoring, training, business advice, and peer support.

The micro providers will offer costed services to residents who are elderly (over 60yrs) and/or vulnerable adults including those with Learning Disabilities (LD) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in their own homes delaying the need for residential care.

Support to the residents by the providers can be regulated or non-regulated care.

Non-regulated care can include, shopping, cooking, cleaning, transportation and support to medical appointments, access to social activities, dog walking, gardening, light DIY, assistance with forms or administrative tasks and befriending.

Regulated care can include support with physical assistance, for example, washing, bathing, dressing, eating or drinking.

General scheme requirements

• Provide a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for requests from people and professionals seeking to set up as a micro provider
• Provide specialist care training, advice, mentoring and business support to ensure and monitor that micro providers are set up, and are operating correctly, have appropriate insurances, and adhere to CQC regulations and other legislation and requirements
• Provide networking meetings to support micro providers and offer peer support
• Market and promote the scheme to East Riding residents, organisations and professionals who are interested in setting up as a micro provider
• Create opportunities for the micro providers to market and publicise their services
• Host an online point of access for the scheme
• Work with the East Riding Good Neighbours Volunteer Scheme to ensure residents are accessing the most appropriate service
• Administer the grant claims (in accordance with funding guidelines)
• Monitor and evaluate the scheme - including a social value evaluation (working with East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Social Value team) and case studies.

New scheme requirements

• Create new micro providers in targeted areas where referrals have not been able to be filled, in the following areas:
  • Driffield
  • Wolds – Pocklington, Market Weighton, Fridaythorpe, Full Sutton, Bishop Wilton, Wilberfoss, Barmby Moor, Yapham, Melbourne, Seaton Ross, Allerthorpe, Newton Upon Derwent, Stamford Bridge, Huggate, Full Sutton, Kirby Underdale, Wetwang, Fimber, Sledmere, Langtoft, Rudston, Wold Newton, Burton Fleming, Bubwith, Everingham, Holme-On-Spalding-Moor
  • Hornsea and North Holderness
  • Mid and South-East Holderness – Aldbrough, Withernwick, Burton Pidsea, Burton Constable, Humbleton, Roos, Long Riston, Skirlaugh, Burstwick, Keyingham, Ottringham, Thorngumbald, Patrington, Hedon, Bilton, Welwick, Easington.
  • Goole
  • Beverley
• To review all existing providers to ensure that they all continue to meet the quality standards, and develop any appropriate requirements to continue to meet the standards
• Review current issues around unfilled referrals with adult services, and develop suitable actions to resolve these issues, to include referrals that are direct payments
• To receive and fill East Riding of Yorkshire Council Adult Services, private and other organisation referrals to support residents in their own homes
• Review provider training and learning and develop refresher courses with East Riding of Yorkshire Council Learning and Workforce Development to ensure micro providers are fully equipped to deliver quality services
• Expand the current network and establish a self-sufficient system where micro providers organise meetings and events to encourage mutual support in order create a self-sustaining model
• To develop a strong business and financial plan that incorporates the consideration of the development of an organisation in its own right to take forward the project beyond March 2027.

Referral pathways

Referrals from people who want to set up as a micro provider will be received from the following:

• Job Centres
• Employment agencies
• Voluntary and faith sector organisations
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council Employment, Education and Skills
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council Business Support Team
• Town and Parish Councils
• Self-referral.

Referrals for residents who need micro provider services will be received from the following routes:

• Self-referrals
• Family members
• Social prescribers
• Local coordinators
• Social care workforce e.g., social worker, care coordinator, social care front door health professions e.g., GP, practice nurse, district nurse, physiotherapist
• Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations.

Please ensure you provide detail in your application on how your organisation will provide the above.

Outputs and outcomes

Outputs

• 200 people engaged with on the scheme
• 24 new micro providers (including locations they will service)
• 64 people attending training (including details of the existing and new types of training accessed)
• 128 of training hours accessed
• 30 people attending support sessions (business support)
• 240 of support hours accessed
• 24 new people attending the networking meetings
• 16 new links with/partner with existing volunteer groups or organisations across the East Riding to avoid duplication
• 40 new residents accessing the micro providers (elderly over 60yrs and/or vulnerable adults including those with Learning Disabilities (LD) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
• 80 further weekly support hours to residents and locations
• Record the number of residents that go on to receive regulated care or access a residential home
• 10 residents referred to other services (including the type of services referrals are made to)
• A clear business and financial plan for the scheme to commence from April 2027.

Project outcomes

• 20 East Riding residents remain/improve independence in their own home
• 30 residents have improved social inclusion
• 20 residents have improved access to services
• 20 stronger links to the community
• 16 improved partnerships and networks to support the delivery of the scheme
• 20 residents report improved health and well-being including being active
• 20 residents have improved confidence and life satisfaction
• 20 micro providers have improved learning and skills
• 24 new micro businesses across the East Riding
• Improved sustainability for the scheme by planning and creating a realistic route to continue beyond the project end date (e.g., post-March 2027).

Eligible and ineligible costs

Contact email for all questions: localgrowth@eastriding.gov.uk

Examples of potentially eligible and ineligible expenditure are detailed below. This list is indicative only and not exhaustive.

You should consider and detail in your application your capacity to deliver and how you can look to continue to deliver beyond the grant end date.

What can be funded

Funding may be used for:

• Project delivery costs
• Staffing costs directly related to the project
• Volunteer expenses
• Venue hire
• Equipment required for project delivery
• Materials and resources
• Training directly linked to project delivery
• Marketing and promotional costs associated with the project.

What cannot be funded

Funding cannot be used for:

• Activities that have already taken place
• Retrospective expenditure
• Projects that are primarily statutory responsibilities
• Payment of debts or loan repayments
• Activities promoting political or religious beliefs
• General fundraising activities
• Costs not directly related to the project
• VAT that can be reclaimed
• Projects delivered outside the agreed funding period
• Ongoing organisational running costs not associated with the proposed project.

Timeline

Cost	Detail
Applications open:	Tuesday 1 September 2026
Application closing date:	Thursday 10 September 2026, 10am
Technical Assessment:	Thursday 10 September 2026
Panel Assessment:	Friday 11 September 2026
Award:	Monday 14 September 2026
Start Date:	Monday 14 September 2026
End Date:	31 March 2027

Panel Assessment Process

Stage 1: Technical Assessment
Community Wealth Team Staff

Stage 2: Panel Assessment
Responsibility: Panel of 3 ERYC staff from: ED&C – Regeneration and Funding & Adult Social Care Team.

Stage 3: Award
Award the selected applicant

Assessment criteria

• Delivery plan (25 marks)
• Experience and Skills (20 marks)
• Partnership approach (10 marks)
• Sustainability beyond the scheme end date (15 marks)
• Value for money/project spend (20 marks)
• Monitoring and evaluation (10 marks)

Total: 100 marks

Payment process

Payments will be agreed following an initial discussion and released upon receipt of the required evidence and monitoring information.

Scheme guidance notes

Start the application

Use the Flexigrant system to start your application for East Riding of Yorkshire Council Micro Providers Care Scheme funding:

Flexigrant - East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Grant Application Portal