AWD/MH Residential Uplift 2025/2026

Overview

Essex County Council AWD and MH Residential Uplift Information for 2025-26

Essex County Council’s position for the increase in care fees for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, physical impairment and/or sensory impairments.

In line with acknowledged pressures on staffing costs and general inflation we have calculated an increase to fees is required to keep pace with inflation on packages in Essex. Please refer to the Uplift Approach section of this letter to understand how the uplift is to be apportioned to packages within Essex and any further action you may need to take.

Where applicable the increase will be paid from the start of the 2025-26 financial year, with backdated payment as appropriate, (Per ECC’s Residential Uplift letter, which can be downloaded further below). 

Uplift Approach

As with the increase last year this is not being applied as a blanket increase to all packages and we want to engage with providers that we have not yet spoken to understand the cost breakdowns of these packages so they can be benchmarked with Care Cubed, which is the tool we use to benchmark all new and existing AWD and Mental Health residential packages in Essex.

Supporting Documents

Futher below on this page is a ECC Residential Cost Breakdown Matrix that will need to be completed and uploaded via the survey for providers who are not on our automatic list.

If you believe this has previously been shared please let us know as it will still need to be checked for accuracy and that nothing has changed

Out of County Placements

This uplift applies to packages placed within the Essex Administrative Area only, and any package placed outside of this, including Southend and Thurrock unitary authorities will be approached in a different manner.

Essex County Council will commit to uplifts for any out of county packages in line with the offer of the host authority for the home on application by the provider for an increase to the package. When awarded the new uplifted fee will be backdated a maximum of 3 months prior to the request being made by the provider or to the 1^st of April if requested in April or May of 2025.  

However, to be awarded the Host Authority %, Out of County Providers will need to upload the below via this survey platform

• A completed Pricing Matrix (Downloadable version further below under related heading)
• A Host Authority Letter confimring annual uplift % (ECC's version for example is downloadable further below under related heading)

As highlighted in previous communications, Essex County Council reserves the right to require any provider to complete a full pricing breakdown before an increase is awarded. In this incent we are only asking for the core package details, as detailed in the below document. 

This will need to be completed per home and not per organsaition

Additional Provider Support

The Council is committed to supporting the market to deal with financial challenges, and reduce costs for care providers. Care England and ECC are promoting a variety of initiatives designed to solve problems deal with challenges, and reduce costs for care providers to supplement uplifts offered this year. These initiatives can be found via Care England’s website and Essex County Council’s Provider Hub at the following link: Provider Support & Offers | Provider Hub | Essex (essexproviderhub.org).

We would like to take the time to thank you for your support through the past 12 months and the exemplary care that has been provided to adults within your services and for the support provided to staff throughout this time.

Should you have any queries regarding the uplift approach for 2025/2026 please get in touch with us at: awd.procurement@essex.gov.uk