A new report has highlighted the national and regional picture of under-funding of homecare services for older people across the UK…
The report published by the UK Homecare Association (UKHCA) exposes the level of risk that councils in Great Britain place on a systems intended to support older people.
The findings from the report highlighted only 28 out of 203 councils pay the recommended “minimum price” of £15.74 an hour.
The average price per hour in England came out at £13.77, whereas the average price for Wales was £14.28 per hour, £13.68 per hour in Scotland and as low as £11.35 in Northern Ireland.
The findings also highlighted a north-south divide across England, and the impact of dominant purchasing power of councils in Greater London.
Colin Angel, Policy Director at the UKHCE said: “Low prices paid for home care carry a number of risks, including poor terms and conditions for workforce, insufficient resources to organise the service and insufficient training for the complex work that supports the increasingly frail and disabled individuals.
“Unless this underfunding is addressed, the independent and voluntary sector will continue to struggle to recruit and retain care workers with the right disposition, training and qualifications.”
