Nottinghamshire County Council has approved fee increases totalling over £28 million for independent sector providers who deliver adult social care and support services across the county. The new rates will take effect from 7 April 2025.
The Council has a statutory duty to ensure there is a sufficient supply of a wide range of services to meet people’s social care and support needs, both now and in the future. This review of fees is conducted for each financial year.
The increase in fees paid to independent sector care and support providers will help ensure they can meet some of the costs associated with the rise in the National Living Wage and National Insurance Contributions, which employers are responsible for.
In addition, independent social care providers may be eligible to apply to a £750,000 Market Sustainability Fund established by the Council. This fund can provide financial support for costs linked to exceptional circumstances. Care providers who can demonstrate innovative ways of developing more of the type of support the Council wishes to see can also apply to the fund.
Councillor Jonathan Wheeler, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:
“We have agreed £28.2 million in fee increases for care providers in Nottinghamshire for the next financial year.
“We are working hard to support and sustain our diverse local care market so that organisations can continue to provide the care that is needed, and residents with care and support needs continue to have choice about the services they wish to use.
“We are all aware of the challenges facing public sector finances, and we have a duty to ensure we deliver value for money and balance our budgets. This fee uplift takes into account the various services, different contracts, and commissioning arrangements in place.
“We are committed to ensuring that the increase in fee rates is applied fairly across all the adult social care and support services which the Council commissions or purchases.
“We have worked with Nottinghamshire Care Association, held market engagement events, and considered recommendations from the Local Government Association, as well as our own finances. We understand the pressures our care partners are facing as a result of national requirements, and we are doing what we can to support our local care market.”
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