Local authorities should cover additional care home costs

Local authorities must expect to cover newly increased regulation costs when funding care home providers, according to Martin Green chief executive at the English Community Care Association.

Fees for care home registration and inspection will increase by 15 per cent from April, care services minister Liam Byrne announced yesterday.

Government policy is to recover full costs of regulation from service providers.

Increased fees are another cost for the sector to absorb, added Green.

The government plans to address the cost of regulation, to limit what providers will pay in future.