Decision details

Consideration was given to the proposals in relation to revising Care Home Fees for 2022/23.

Approval was now sought to communicate the resultant fees to the relevant providers and implement the revised fees from 1 April 2022.

Reason for Decision

On 19 April 2017, Adult Social Care presented a report to Cabinet (Residential Care Home Fees model and rates 2017-18 seeking approval for the use of a proposed costing model to form the basis of discussion and fee setting for Care Home Fees for Older People in future years (see Minute No. 87/17).

The model had been used since 2017 to calculate the increase of Care Home Fees and had been used to calculate the proposed Care Homes Fees for 2022-23.

Alternative Options Considered

The alternative was not to approve the Care Home Fees, however, this carried a risk that care home providers, and therefore the supply chain, might become less resilient, particularly at a critical time for the sector with the additional burden of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Agreed:-

(1)     that approval be given to the revised Care Home Fees for 2022/23, as now submitted, to be effective from 1 April 2022, and that the Director of Adult Social Care be authorised to communicate this to the relevant providers and implement the fee increase accordingly;

(2)     that approval be given to a deviation to the model that was agreed by Cabinet in April 2017 which was used to calculate standard rate care home fees, to also take account of the mandatory increase to National Insurance contributions from April 2022 and the use of October data for gas, electricity, water and food;

(3)     that the Director of Adult Social Care review the proposed care home fees rates in 6 months once the position on whether there will be any additional government funding from April 2022 has been established, and if necessary, submit a further report recommending revisions to the rates in year should they be necessitated.