HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

How to hire a bid writer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No licence applies to bid writers. Here is how to check the tender rules, the fee and who owns the answers.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a bid writer in five steps

  1. Read the tender documents firstMandatory requirements, scoring, word limits and the deadline.
  2. Check you can meet the pass/fail testsInsurance, accreditations and policies the buyer requires.
  3. Brief the bid writer with evidenceCase studies, figures and policies they can rely on.
  4. Agree fee, success fee and ownershipAnd whether answers can be reused.
  5. Leave time for a compliance checkBefore submission, against every requirement.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No law licenses bid or grant writers in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Past bids, honest success rates and references are the checks.

Ask the bid writer for examples of similar bids and their outcomes.

Where public contracts are published

There is no register of approved bid writers; what is official is where contracts are advertised. Contracts Finder lists government contracts above its threshold, Find a Tender lists high-value contracts, while public bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also use separate procurement sites. The rules in each notice govern the bid.

Download the full tender pack from the official portal and give it to the bid writer. gov.uk →

Copyright in the written answers

Bid answers are literary works under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, owned by the writer unless assigned to you in a signed document. That decides whether you can reuse them.

Agree in writing that you own, or may reuse, the answers. legislation.gov.uk →

Honest evidence

Claims in a bid are checked and may become contract terms. Data protection rules, enforced by the ICO, apply to staff CVs and case-study details included.

Check every claim and get consent for any personal details used. gov.uk →

VAT

Bid writing is standard-rated, so a registered bid writer adds 20% to the fee and to any success fee paid when you win. Registration becomes compulsory once a bid writer has VAT-taxable turnover over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months; from then VAT must be charged and shown as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask the bid writer for the VAT number before the tender work starts and for VAT on the fee and the success fee shown separately. gov.uk →

“What bids have you written in my sector, and what was the outcome?”

A good answer: Examples and honest results from the bid writer.

“How will the bid writer work to the scoring criteria?”

A good answer: A plan built around the buyer's scoring, not generic text.

“Is there a success fee for the grant or bid?”

A good answer: A clear basis, with the upfront and success elements in writing.

“Can I reuse the writer's answers in later bids?”

A good answer: Yes, if ownership or a licence is agreed.

“What do you need from me, and by when?”

A good answer: Evidence, case studies, policies and pricing inputs, with dates.

“Will you check compliance before submission?”

A good answer: A final check against every requirement.

“How will the bid writer handle a tight deadline?”

A good answer: A realistic plan or an honest no.

Getting the quote right

  • The tender, the number of questions and word limits
  • Who actually attends to the answers: the bid writer you hired, or a subcontracted writer or reviewer
  • Fee, and any success fee
  • Review rounds and the compliance check
  • Supporting documents included or extra
  • Ownership or reuse of answers
  • The VAT number, with VAT at 20% on the fee and any success fee

Walk away if

  • Promises to win
  • Invents case studies or figures
  • Ignores the scoring criteria
  • No compliance check
  • Unclear success fee terms
  • Refuses to let you reuse answers you paid for
LOW
£500
TYPICAL
£900
HIGH
£5,000

What a bid writer costs: £500–£5,000 per bid

Bid writers usually charge per bid, sometimes with a lower fee plus a success fee if you win. Grant & Bid Writer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Bid writers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Bid reviewTender documents read and scoring broken down.
  2. Win themesYour strengths and evidence identified.
  3. DraftingAnswers written to the word limits.
  4. ReviewDrafts checked by you.
  5. Compliance check and submissionEvery requirement checked before the deadline.

Tender
A formal invitation to bid for a contract.
Scoring criteria
How the buyer marks each answer.
Method statement
How you will deliver the work.
Social value
Wider benefits a bid promises, often scored.
Framework
An agreement that lets buyers award contracts to approved suppliers.
Success fee
A payment due only if the bid wins.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the submitted bidWith the clarifications and the feedback.
Ask the buyer for feedbackScores and comments improve the next bid.
Build a bid libraryReusable answers you own.
Rate the workA few honest lines about the bid writer help other people decide. If you are unhappy, start the make-it-right step and give them the chance to fix it.

STEP 1Raise it with the bid writerWrite down what you expected from the bid writer and what you actually received, and send it. Under section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the job needed reasonable care and skill; if it lacked them, sections 55 and 56 let you ask for it redone or for a refund of part of the price.
STEP 2Ask Locufy to help put it rightAny score below four stars opens the make-it-right step: the bid writer hears about the problem first, and we follow it through before the review appears.
STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplineThere is no ombudsman for bid writers. Advisers at Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133, England and Wales), Advice Direct Scotland (0808 800 9060) or Consumerline (0300 123 6262, Northern Ireland) can explain your rights against the bid writer and pass the case to Trading Standards.
STEP 4Small claims courtA claim against the bid writer can go, without a solicitor, to the small claims track in England and Wales (up to £10,000), simple procedure in Scotland (up to £5,000) or the small claims court in Northern Ireland (up to £5,000).

Hiring a bid writer: questions people ask

UK law sets no licence, register or qualification for it.

The writer, unless copyright is assigned to you in writing; agree ownership or reuse.

Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, plus separate portals for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Roughly £500–£5,000 per bid, typically £900. Bid size, the number of questions and the deadline set the fee. The bid writer price guide shows what sits behind each figure; type your town above to find bid writers in your area.

Some writers lower the upfront fee and charge a bonus on winning; get the terms in writing.

One to four weeks per bid, depending on the deadline and questions.

MORE GUIDES

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Bid writers near you

Bid writers in LondonBid writers in ManchesterBid writers in BirminghamBid writers in GlasgowBid writers in BelfastAll bid writers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — Contracts Finder
  2. gov.uk — find high value contracts in the public sector
  3. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90 — assignment in writing
  4. gov.uk — data protection and your business
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  7. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  8. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  9. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register