One third of care homes in England have considered closing over the past year because of ‘horrendous’ running costs.
Care England, the largest representative body for care providers in England, have warned the energy regulator Ofgem that care home heating bills had increased by 500% in the past year.
They argued this was because suppliers were charging rates that outstrip the market price for gas.
Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, told the Guardian: ‘There can be no justification for charging such horrendous and financially crippling rates.’
‘The underlying financial fragility of the sector and energy-intensive nature of services has meant providers are pushed further into what was already an incredibly precarious situation,’ he continued.
‘What we now need to see is an immediate resolution to how energy transactions and contracts are regulated and to ensure a fairer approach is continually monitored by the regulator.’
