More funds needed or homes will close

Care homes will be unable to meet the new care standards and
will be forced to close unless there is a substantial increase in funding from
central government, a coalition of 19 organisations has warned.

The Fair Rate for Care campaign, made up of
charities, care home providers and residential care experts including Help the
Aged and National Care Homes Association claims that the government is under
funding the true cost of quality care.

It argues that the low levels of local
authority fees do not cover the care costs of state funded residents. The
coalition is calling for a permanent improvement in local authority fee levels
and improved government regulation of local authority care commissioning to ensure
transparency.

It is also calling for a strategic research
body to review the national pricing and performance policies in care and to
make recommendations about future levels of needs and services, and for
regional and local planning between health, social services and the independent
sector which puts the recommendations into practice.