Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to make funding available to councils for care homes in addition to the two per cent council tax precept to cover costs arising from the increase in the national minimum wage.

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning adult social care services. Fee levels are agreed by local authorities and social care providers, reflecting local conditions. In setting fee levels, local authorities are obliged to consider the sustainability of their local social care market.

At the Spending Review, the Government made up to £3.5 billion extra available by 2019/20 to local authorities for adult social care through the social care precept and Better Care Fund. This will help give councils more flexibility to meet local priorities as they see fit.