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27
Sept 2022
Harrogate care costs climb to £54,000 a year as ‘colossal’ price rises bite
Harrogate’s high care costs are being compounded by the cost of living crisis as bosses warn that they have no choice but to pass on some of the “colossal” price rises to residents.
With care homes being hit by huge increases in energy and food prices, the average weekly cost of a residential care home in the district is now £1,029.
That figure remains the highest in North Yorkshire and is equivalent to almost £54,000 a year.
The climbing costs come at a time of significant workforce pressures as care homes continue to rely upon agency staff and constantly recruit to try to fill vacancies.
Sue Cawthray, chief executive of care charity Harrogate Neighbours, described the price rises as “colossal” and said further increases in insurance costs and workers’ wages were adding to the pressures of keeping care services running.
Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours
She added that the only way for care homes to be able to keep their costs down was for the government to provide more funding and support for services.
Ms Cawthray said:
After years of funding cuts and promises to fix the broken care system, the government earlier this year announced a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone will have to spend on care over their lifetime.
This was due to be funded by a 1.25% rise in National Insurance, however, the tax rise was reversed by prime minister Liz Truss and funding will now come from general taxation.
The price cap and other measures are to be tested out as part of a “trailblazer” scheme which has seen North Yorkshire County Council chosen as one of six local authorities to introduce the reforms several months ahead of elsewhere.
Read more:
- Reassurances issued over ‘onerous’ social care revamp across Harrogate district
- Social care pilot scheme in Harrogate district ‘could bankrupt council’ without more funding
There are, however, questions over when this will begin next year and if it will entail a huge bill for the county council.
Aside from the trial, Cllr Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services at the authority, said it was doing “everything possible” to support the care sector, although he added these efforts were being made “within the constraints of the funding allocated by central government”.
He said:
Meanwhile, the county council has further plans to build an extra care facility after purchasing a £1.8 million plot of land at Harrogate’s Cardale Park, and there are also proposals to introduce “micro-providers” in more rural areas.
Cllr Harrison added:
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