Home Care receives funding boost in the face of rising fuel costs

To help keep vital providers of home care on the road and supporting vulnerable adults, Norfolk County Council is spending an extra £300,000 to help meet the increased cost of fuel.

In the face of rising fuel prices, care providers across Norfolk reported that the extra cost was having a real impact on their and their staff's ability to keep providing reliable home care, a decision was taken by Norfolk County Council to increase its' hourly payments to £21, representing an increase of £301,000 across the county.

Cllr Bill Borrett, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: "Home care represents absolutely vital support for many residents in Norfolk: it makes a huge difference to people, giving them the chance to stay more independent in their own home".

"We know just how much home care workers do for their clients, and how far they travel to do it. That is why, in the face of rising prices, we're trying to keep these carers on the road by increasing our payments to help meet the rising costs of fuel. This way carers can continue their vital work over the coming months."

Home care, also known as home support, domiciliary care and non-residential care, offers practical help for people to stay independent at home, in housing with care and supported living. This involves carers visiting people at home, giving them the extra support needed for them to continue to live in their own home. This can include help with bathing, eating and managing medication, as well as many other tasks where necessary.

To do this, carers visit multiple people in one day, and in a rural county like Norfolk can clock up many miles of travel between these locations. As such, the steep rise in fuel prices has put a major strain on many of these home care services.

While the County Council's annual review did increase the element of fees paid by the council associated with fuel costs, this decision was made prior to the recent increases in price. In recognition of this increased cost, the Council has made the decision to increase this element again outside the annual review framework.

The total cost of the changes stands at £301,000, which will be met by the Norfolk County Council's Adult Social Services Provider Support Fund.