Updates on the discussion about care fees against a diminishing local authority budget
Further to our ongoing discussion on care fees with Hertfordshire County Council, and the Local Government Budget Settlement which was announced in late December, the Director of Adult Care Services for Hertfordshire wrote to us, as the Association for Hertfordshire, to confirm their proposed fee settlement for the 2019/20 financial year.
In the letter, HCC explain the factors the County Council has in balancing setting reasonable care fees against a diminishing local authority budget, and explain that in their opinion, they do take into account the viability of running an efficient quality care business, the need to maintain quality and a sufficient supply of care, the cost pressures in the market and the need to ensure value for money for public funds.
However, HCPA have written a formal response to this letter, as whilst we understand the budgetary pressures that HCC is under, we feel the need to lodge our concerns about provider viability in this current market, and therefore, based on our care provider member feedback, we have written that we do not agree that the uplifts proposed provide for the inflationary pressures that our sector is being subjected to.
Click here to read both full letters: