The amount of funding provided to care homes to cover the cost of delivering registered nursing care will increase in 2025-26 by 7.7%.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced a boost to the NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) rate in England.
“Even with a 7.7% increase, there are still significant challenges and cost pressures”
Martin Green
The FNC scheme sees the NHS covering the cost of nursing care for care home residents who are assessed as requiring support from registered nurses.
It is paid as a weekly flat rate to care homes, but concerns have frequently been raised that the rate is not enough.
The rate is reviewed annually and has increased year-on-year since 2018-19.
This week, the DHSC confirmed that the standard rate would rise again for 2025-26, from £235.88 per person per week to £254.06 from 1 April 2025.
The higher rate – which only applies to residents who have been receiving FNC consistently since 2007 – will increase from £324.50 to £349.50.
Announcing the rise, the DHSC said: “Care homes play a vital role in our healthcare system, providing specialist nursing care to some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
However, Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said care homes would continue to face “significant challenges” in delivering FNC under the new rate.
He said: “Care England has been working collaboratively with DHSC for some years to ensure that the increases to FNC reflect the true costs of delivering nursing care.
“Even with a 7.7% increase, there are still significant challenges and cost pressures in funding this type of care for people with very complex needs.”
