Nottinghamshire County Council has approved over £28million worth of fee increases to independent sector providers who deliver adult social care and support services across the county. The new rates will take effect from 7 April 2025.

The Council has a statutory duty to make sure that there is a sufficient supply of a wide range of services to meet people’s social care and support needs now and in the future. This review of fees is considered for each financial year.

The increase in the rate of fees paid to independent sector care and support providers will help to ensure that they can meet some of the costs linked to the increases in the National Living Wage and National Insurance Contributions which employers are responsible for.

In addition, independent social care providers may be able to apply to a £750,000 Market Sustainability Fund which the Council has established, which can provide financial support for costs linked to exceptional circumstances. Care providers who can demonstrate innovative ways of developing more of the type of support which the council wishes to see, can also apply to the fund.

Cllr Jonathan Wheeler, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:

“We have agreed £28.2million of fee increases to care providers in Nottinghamshire for next financial year. We are working hard to support and sustain our diverse local care market so that organisations can continue to provide the care that is needed, and residents who have care and support needs continue to have choice about the services they wish to use.

“We are all aware of the challenges facing public sector finances and we have a duty to make sure we can deliver value for money and balance our budgets. This fee uplift takes account of the various services, different contracts and commissioning arrangements in place. We are committed to making sure that we apply the increase in fee rates fairly across all the adult social care and support services which the council commissions or purchases.

“We have worked with Nottinghamshire Care Association, held market engagement events and considered the recommendation from the Local Government Association, as well as considering our own finances. We understand the pressures our care partners are facing as a result of national requirements, and we are doing what we can to support our local care market.”