Responding to an Age UK report on the extra costs faced by some care home residents for providing their care during the coronavirus pandemic, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Every part of the care and support sector is under intense pressure due to the current crisis and councils are doing all they can to support providers through this, including through extra financial support.
“People living in care homes should not be penalised in this way and the cross-subsidy of fees by self-funders is one of the unfair aspects of the current system, which must be addressed as part of the long-term reform of social care.
“We know that care providers are facing extra costs during this time and we have worked closely with them since the beginning of the pandemic to understand what they are. The vast majority of councils have helped providers with these extra costs to the best of their ability, considering all of the evidence.
“Emergency funds provided by government so far have been helpful, but our new joint research with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services shows that there is still a very significant shortfall anticipated by the end of September this year.
“Although councils have no direct responsibility to provide extra funding for those who are arranging and funding their own care, in practice many councils have been looking at how they can help, especially for care homes who take council-funded residents alongside self-funders.”
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