Avoid These Common Mistakes in Home Care Tender Responses

August 5, 2025

🧠 Blog 3 of 7 in our ‘Bid Writing for Domiciliary Care Providers’ Series

Even strong home care providers lose marks because of common, avoidable errors. Writing a great domiciliary care tender isn’t just about what you do — it’s about how clearly, confidently and specifically you explain it.

Here are 5 common bid writing mistakes we see — and how to avoid them:

🔁 Repeating generic phrases — e.g. “person-centred care” or “robust quality assurance” without examples or context.
📉 Focusing on tasks, not outcomes — describing what you do without showing the results it achieves.
📄 Using unstructured text — long, dense paragraphs with no headings, bullets or flow.
💬 Leaving out service user voice — not showing how you incorporate feedback or co-design.
❌ Failing to answer the actual question — or splitting content across multiple answers, diluting your message.

How to fix it:

✅ Use structured, signposted responses with clear evidence.
✅ Prioritise outcomes, voice, and real-life examples.
✅ Write like you're explaining your service to someone who has never met you before — because you are.

Avoiding these pitfalls won’t just protect your score — it could push you ahead of stronger competitors who’ve been complacent.

🧠 Explore our 7-part series on Bid Writing for Domiciliary Care Providers:
Each blog is designed to help you improve your home care tenders — from avoiding common pitfalls to answering complex questions with confidence.

1️⃣ 💡 Why You Need a Bid Writer Who Understands Domiciliary Care
2️⃣ 🖋️ How to Write Winning Home Care Bids (Without Overclaiming)
3️⃣ ❌ Avoid These Common Mistakes in Home Care Tender Responses
4️⃣ 🚫 Why Commissioners Reject Home Care Bids (Even from Good Providers)
5️⃣ 🧠 The Most Important Section in Your Tender (And It’s Not What You Think)
6️⃣ 🌟 How to Showcase Your Domiciliary Care Service (Without Overclaiming)
7️⃣ ✅ How to Answer Home Care Tender Questions with Confidence (Even When They’re Complex)