Improved Better Care Fund increase drives rise in care fee payments

Please subscribe or upgrade your membership. To continue reading this article please sign in below or subscribe to our site.

Additional funding through the Improved Better Care Fund has helped more than 90% of councils increase fees paid to external care providers, according to analysis by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

A survey of councils by the department found that on average, local authorities reported that home care fee rates would increase by 4.3% while age 65+ residential and nursing home fee rates would rise by 4.9% and 4.7% respectively when compared to 2018- 19.

The department said the rises compare with a 4.9% April 2019 increase in the National Living Wage from £7.83 to £8.21 per hour, and 1.7% CPIH inflation in the 12 months to September 2019.