How many UK public contracts are awarded and ending each week?

In the seven days to 7 October 2026, Lockley recorded 51 public contracts awarded and 13 public contracts reaching their end date. The week before it recorded 52 awards and 15 endings. In the whole of September 2026, 29 public contracts reached their end date across 26 UK companies. These are the counts the index holds from Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, by the date on the record, not a count of every public contract in the country.

What these counts mean

Awards and end dates are both dated events with a named supplier, which makes them unusually clean signals. An award means a supplier has new work to deliver, which can mean hiring, subcontracting and equipment. An end date means a contract is coming to a close, which can mean a re-tender, an extension or the supplier looking for its next piece of work.

Why the numbers are small

Readers sometimes expect thousands. The index counts only records it can tie to a UK company and date, and both registers record only part of public procurement activity. Treat the figures as a measure of what is visible and usable for prospecting, not of the size of the market. The stability between weeks, 51 and 52 for awards, suggests the flow is steady enough to plan around. Endings are rarer and, because of that, each one is worth reading.

Weekly counts compared

Reading the weekly figures with care

A single week is a small sample. A difference of one or two contracts between weeks, such as 13 against 15 endings, is within normal variation and should not be read as a trend. Month totals are the better basis for planning, which is why the monthly page for September 2026 is the figure to quote when you need a stable number.

The counts are by the date on the record. A contract awarded in one week may be published later, and an end date can move if the buyer extends the contract. Before you call, check the record again for amendments or a notice of extension, because an extended contract changes the conversation.

There is also a difference between a contract ending and a supplier losing work. Many public contracts include options to extend, and a buyer may re-award to the same supplier. The end date tells you when the question is being asked, not what the answer will be. That is a reason to ask an open question on the call rather than assume a gap.

Finally, remember that a small number of companies can hold several contracts. In September 2026, 29 contracts reaching their end date sat across 26 companies, so a handful of suppliers had more than one ending in the month. Those suppliers are worth a closer look, because several contracts closing at once can mean a larger shift in their workload.

How a seller can use the data

If you sell to suppliers of public services, such as staffing, software, equipment, training or compliance, an award is a reason to call a company that has just taken on work. If you sell to the same public bodies' incumbents, an approaching end date is a reason to ask how the next phase is being resourced. In both cases, open the record first: it names the buyer, the supplier, the value where published and the dates.

How to check it yourself

Both Contracts Finder and Find a Tender are free to search. Filter by award date or end date, export the results, and match suppliers to Companies House to confirm the company is active and in your sector. It takes time, which is the work Lockley does nightly. Lockley's monthly page, Public contracts ending, September 2026, lists the month's figure.

Questions