Asked by
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of
the likely impact of increased energy costs on care homes; and
what extra support they intend to provide in response.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health
and Social Care () (Con)
The Government are committed to working with local authorities to
help manage the pressures of inflation, for various reasons, on
adult social care. We acknowledge the impact that challenges such
as energy price rises will have on residential care providers and
right across the system. As noble Lords will be aware, the Prime
Minister has stated that a package of support for energy costs is
her priority. Sadly, in terms of timing, we expect announcements
shortly and will see how that feeds into the social care
sector.
(CB)
I thank the Minister for his reply. As he well knows, care homes
are already under great financial pressure. In the six years up
to 2020, more than 1,600 had to close—many of them rated good or
very good—and the rise in energy costs is already absolutely
staggering, from something like £660 per bed per year to over
£5,000 per bed per year. Of course, some help will be offered
this afternoon, but is the Minister confident that the Government
have really taken on board the sheer scale and seriousness of
this situation for care homes?
(Con)
The noble and right reverend Lord makes a really important point
about this issue and the impact on social care. What we are
seeing right across government is the impact of this energy
crisis: that is why the Prime Minister is making this
announcement. We will then have to look into the details of how
that affects the different sectors. We have heard from the social
care sector, we have heard from care homes and we have heard from
patients themselves about their concerns about the cost. I am
afraid I cannot give more details at the moment. The Government
are working very closely at the moment with local authorities and
are in constant conversation about how we can help reduce the
burden. Once we have more details of the package, we can look at
that in more detail.
(LD)
My Lords, heating costs are just the tip of the iceberg for care
homes. What does the Minister have to say to people such as June,
a care home worker in Sheffield of 24 years, who is now having to
leave the sector that she loves, just to get enough money to be
able to feed her family?
(Con)
The Government recognise that for a long time the social care
sector has been treated like Cinderella: a poor relation of the
health system. That is why we had the Health and Care Bill, to
make sure that we have care right through people’s lives. One
thing about social care is how disparate and fragmented it is.
One reason we have the register is to understand who is out
there—who is doing what, their qualifications and their levels of
pay, but also how we can make sure that they feel it is a
rewarding vocation and career.
(Con)
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that many care homes and,
indeed, even more retirement homes and retirement communities are
serviced by what are called heat networks. These are combined
systems; we used to call them combined heat and power, but heat
networks are the modern description. These were not covered at
all by the previous energy cap. Could the Minister be assured,
and assure his friends, that in the coming arrangements they are
properly covered as well?
(Con)
As my noble friend will be aware, many care homes are privately
owned and run. Quite often, we do not get into that level of
detail but I will take the question back to my department once we
are aware of the package that is announced.
(Lab)
My Lords, to add to the problems of care homes to which noble
Lords have referred is the report in today’s newspapers that the
new Secretary of State for Health intends to use them as places
to discharge people who cannot have a social care package in
their own homes. Can the Minister assure the House that, if this
happens, all attention will be paid to the huge problem that care
homes already have in recruiting enough staff to carry out their
existing functions?
(Con)
All noble Lords will be aware of the challenges facing care homes
and their owners, including recruiting sufficient staff. People
have referred to a number of different issues; one is vocation
and feeling valued—quite often they feel as if they are poor
relations. Another issue is supply, which is one reason we have
looked at a visa to try to encourage more workers from overseas.
If we make it a proper vocation, people will want to train in it,
get those qualifications and feel they have a valued career.
The Lord
My Lords, I was going to ask a very similar question; the
Minister did not answer the specific question about the Secretary
of State’s proposal that she may move people from hospitals into
care homes and ensuring that that is joined up. Will he comment
on that proposal?
(Con)
I am afraid I was so busy swotting for these Questions and the
three-hour debate afterwards that I missed the news, so I will
have to take that back to the department and make sure that we
give an answer. I will not avoid giving one.
(CB)
My Lords, have the Government considered the impact of increased
energy costs on our major scientific facilities, such as the
Diamond Light Source? If increased energy costs eat up the
increases in UKRI budgets, this will severely impact our ability
to deliver the Government’s ambition of the UK becoming a science
and technology superpower.
(Con)
That is a really important angle that I had not considered, to be
honest. We recognise that, across government, many Ministers in
many departments will be waiting at the moment with bated breath
for the Prime Minister’s announcement to work out the impact on
those stakeholders who have been contacting Ministers and others
about the impact of energy costs. Clearly, something has to be
done. The Prime Minister will announce it and then we will have
to work through its impact. If I am still in post, I can come
back to say how that will impact the health and care sector.
(Con)
My Lords, will my noble friend look into the situation of care
homes, whether they are in the private sector or not, that have
not currently participated in the government handouts to help
with energy costs? Second home owners have had discounts on their
bills, but there has been no per-bed contribution from the
Government to help care homes which are already struggling and
for which many families are paying enormous sums.
(Con)
My noble friend makes a point that I was not aware of, so I am
afraid I will have to take it back to the department. However, it
appears a very reasonable point.
(Lab)
My Lords, what support will the Government specifically give
those care homes whose pre-Covid Care Quality Commission ratings
have been downgraded from good to inadequate as a result of staff
shortages? This is on top of their deep concerns over energy
costs. Recent press reports say that up to three-quarters of care
homes in England have been reassessed in this way.
(Con)
Clearly, one of the issues in the overall review of the social
care sector is that, when the CQC and others report on care homes
and other places, action is taken. One of the things we will do
is talk to the right stakeholders and individuals, but we also
have to work in partnership with local authorities—as quite often
it is their responsibility—to try to make sure we raise the
standard.
(LD)
My noble friend asked a specific question on
what the Government are doing about pay. The Minister will be
aware that there is a crisis in the care sector in recruiting and
retaining staff. I declare an interest as I have a family member
in a residential care home and am acutely aware of the situation.
What is being done to make sure that they are properly funded so
that we can retain and recruit much-needed care staff in all
residential homes?
(Con)
When I speak to officials in the care part of my department about
this issue, one of the things they say, in consultation with a
number of individuals in the care sector—not only employees but
owners—is that morale is clearly low, partly because of pay but
also because they feel they do not have a proper vocation. It is
very confusing to have all these qualifications; they are not
recognised elsewhere and there is no clear career path. One
reason we are putting together this register is that we want to
understand the landscape out there—it is incredible that this has
not yet been done—including the number of qualifications, the
issues and what sort of career structure can be offered.
(Lab)
My Lords, several noble Lords have referred to the terrible
financial situation of the whole social care sector and its
employees. I recall the last Prime Minister said he was going fix
social care. Nothing happened. Does the current Government
recognise that a step to help out the social care sector, over
and above other businesses, would be at least a first step
towards fixing the sector?
(Con)
One reason we brought forward the Health and Care Bill was that
we wanted to make sure that social care was given proper status.
Social care has been seen as the poor relation to healthcare for
far too long by successive Governments. What we want is a proper
health and social care system, properly integrated. Sometimes
social care workers leave the social care workforce and move to
the health side because they feel it is more valued as a
profession. We want to make sure the same is true of social care
providers.
(Con)
My Lords, the NHS has a great history of running great campaigns.
I am thinking of “Clunk, click” and the campaigns against smoking
and alcohol. Can the Minister say, because not only the cost but
the supply of energy is very important, how the department is
co-ordinating to ensure that there is a campaign to reduce the
energy used in homes, particularly those in the higher income
brackets?
(Con)
I thank my noble friend for the question. The issue is much wider
than just health. We are working with local authorities to
understand the impact on the care sector, but there is also a
huge cross-government approach on education and energy
efficiency. We have to wait and see the package before we can
look at this in detail with the sector, and at what measures can
be offered.
Arrangement of Business
11.51am
(Lab Co-op)
My Lords, it is my understanding that in the other place the
Prime Minister is leading a debate on the energy crisis and her
proposals. As it is a debate and not a Statement, can the
Government give some thought and hold discussions in the usual
channels to arrange for a debate in government time in this House
to discuss this most pressing issue?
As Opposition Chief Whip, I congratulate the noble Baroness on
her appointment as Government Chief Whip. She is both a popular
and a highly effective Member of your Lordships’ House. I look
forward to working with her again.
I thank the noble Lord, , for his service as
Government Chief Whip. I always enjoyed working with him; he was
kind, courteous and straight in all our dealings. I always
enjoyed our conversations that took place many times during the
day and even sometimes into the night.
The Lord Privy Seal () (Con)
My Lords, if I might—unusually—respond on a usual channels
question, I should like to thank the noble Lord for his kind
words about my noble friend Lord Ashton, which are widely shared,
and about my noble friend Lady Williams. I think this poor old
man will often need a helping hand to stop him stumbling and I
cannot think of a securer colleague than the noble Baroness.
As for the fundamentally important question that the noble Lord
poses, which perhaps goes a little wider than the energy
question, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister indicated
yesterday a set of what she considers the urgent requirements for
the country. They may well eventuate in provisions being laid
before Parliament, which it would be my duty to make sure your
Lordships’ House has the opportunity to discuss. I fully take his
point about the nature of the debate in the other place meaning
that I am not standing here repeating a Statement on energy. This
is a question of fundamental importance, and I can give an
undertaking that we will take it away and have those discussions
in the usual channels to see how we can accommodate your
Lordships’ House.
