Solihull approves 16% home fee increase from April

Solihull council is to increase its residential and nursing home fees by more than 16% from this April in a bid to place more local authority funded residents in care homes in the area. Following a consultation with providers, the council will raise the amount it contributes for a residential bed with a minimum room size of 12 sqm with en suite facilities from £376.79 to £439 per week. For service users with dementia, it will increase its payments from £436.80 to £508 per week. Nursing home fees (excluding NHS funding for nursing care) will rise from £442.13 to £505 per week, increasing from £473.46 to £551.12 for those with dementia. The fee rates are slightly higher than those proposed in a report from KPMG, commissioned by the council, which sought to establish validated local bed-based care costs’ for Solihull. Following four responses to the consultation, one of which the council understands was made on behalf of all local providers, the fee levels were adjusted in line with LaingBuisson’s Fair Price for Care toolkit. The report was commissioned after Solihull was forced to place 58% of council funded residents outside the borough (compared to 42% in borough) by last March.