Pay rise proposed for providers of adult care

Councillors are being recommended to approve an above-inflation increase in the amount Wolverhampton Council pays to providers of adult care.

A report will go before the council's cabinet on Wednesday where a 6.6% rise in hourly rates is proposed.

Home care providers, nursing and residential care providers supporting under 65s, supported living services, and providers of day care services would be among those set for the increased rate, the authority said.

It added that the new fee structure would be introduced on 7 April if backed this week.

The council added the agency rate would also increase by 6.6%.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal acknowledged that care providers played a "vital role" in supporting vulnerable residents and said the council was "determined to do all we can" to support them.

"We know that, like other employers, adult care and support providers are continuing to face a perfect storm of rising costs, so we are pleased to be able to propose these above-inflation increases, despite the well-documented pressures the council is also facing at this time", Jaspal said.

She added that the proposed increase followed the trend of the previous years and demonstrated the council's "ongoing commitment" to care providers.

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.