Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the affordability of weekly care home fees in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, the majority of which are in the independent sector. The Department does not have powers to set or recommend the level of fees that care homes charge. However, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

As well as self-funders sourcing their own care, local authorities also agree fees with care home providers for local authority funded placements. According to Market Sustainability Fund data, in 2023/24, Lancashire paid an average care home fee rate of £707 without nursing, and £738 with nursing. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-2024-to-2025-care-provider-fees/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-msif-provider-fee-reporting-2024-to-2025#main-points

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Commission will deliver recommendations for the transformation of adult social care including how to best create a fair and affordable adult social care system.