£7.4m extra cash for care firms from council

Increase follows concerns over rising NI contributions and minimum wage

- Phil Corrigan

COUNCIL leaders have agreed to spend an extra £7.4 million on adult social care this year to help providers cover rising costs.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council will increase the amount it pays care providers by between 4.77 per cent and 7.96 per cent in 2025/2026, after cabinet members approved a new fee uplift strategy.

The council originally proposed a two per cent increase on home care fees and four per cent increases for other forms of care.

But during a consultation, providers said this would not cover their rising costs, such as the increases in employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage.

They requested fee increases of up to 11 per cent in 2025/26.