Care sector close to collapse, says protesting CEO

The social care market is "close to collapse", a care home boss calling for more support from the government has said.

Geoff Butcher, CEO of Blackadder Care Homes, which runs seven care homes across the Midlands, took part in a march in Westminster on Tuesday.

He was one of hundreds to attend the day of action aimed to get more financial support for social care providers from the government.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the new Labour government inherited "significant challenges" facing the sector.

Tuesday's Providers Unite event called for more support from the government to help care homes deal with the rise in both the living wage and contribution rate for employers' National Insurance, which were announced by the government in their budget in October 2024.

Mr Butcher said: "We're fighting incredible cost pressures because of the decisions by the government.

"None of it is funded.

"It's immensely difficult."

Think tank Nuffield Trust has calculated that the budget measures will cost independent care providers in England an extra £2.8bn in 2025-26 - £940m in additional National Insurance and £1.85bn in extra wage costs.

Of this extra bill, the think tank predicts that care homes will have to foot about £2bn themselves.

Mr Butcher, who runs care homes in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Leicestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, said the issues "aren't new".

"We're meeting in London to protest because we've tried talking, we've tried lobbying, we've tried complaining for nearly 20 years and no one's listened," he said.

"It's at a point now where the market is very, very close to collapse.

"They can't keep kicking this can down the road."

A DHSC spokesperson said the department has taken "immediate action" to help the social care sector.

"This includes a £3.7 billion funding boost, 15,000 new installations to help disabled people live safely and independently in their own homes, and a £2,300 increase to Carers Allowance," they said.

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