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Older People Residential and Nursing Uplifts

Existing Placements Uplifts for 2026/27

April 2026

Older People Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 5 April 2026 in homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the Integrated Residential and Nursing (IRN) framework will be uplifted by 3.6% from 6 April 2025 and capped at a maximum rate for that district, see table 1 below. Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 5 April 2026 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the IRN framework will be uplifted 3.64% from 6 April 2025 and capped at a maximum rate for that district, see table 2 below.  This increase will be applied on the finance system from the 6 April 2026.

Any care home placement in homes within the ECC administrative area which are below the new minimum IRN framework rate of £770.28 for residential and £948.92 for nursing will be increased to the new minimum IRN framework rate from 6 April 2026.

Existing IRN providers rates from April 2025

From 6 April 2025 residential care price points will increase by 3.6% and nursing price points will increase by 3.64%. For example, if you are currently on price point 10 for Basildon residential, from 6 April 2026 you will automatically be moved on to the uplifted price point 10 for that area and care type, until your revised pricing submission takes effect.  Revised pricing selected via the IRN 2025 framework refresh process will then take effect from the 1 June 2026

Table 1 – Residential Uplift Cap

 

 

Table 2 – Nursing Uplift Cap

District

Capped amount

 

District

Capped amount

Castle Point

Colchester

Rochford

Tendring

£829.08

 

Castle Point

Rochford

£1,065.96

Braintree

Chelmsford

Maldon

£852.53

 

Basildon

Brentwood

£1,085.42

Basildon

Brentwood

Harlow

 

£875.98

 

Braintree

Chelmsford

Harlow

Maldon

£1,104.95

Epping Forest

Uttlesford

£908.80

 

Colchester

Tendring

£1,124.48

All queries related to Older People Residential and Nursing uplifts can be emailed to IRN.ProjectTeam@essex.gov.uk

Additional Provider Support

The Council is committed to supporting the market to deal with financial challenges and to reduce the costs for care providers. Care England and ECC are promoting a variety of initiatives to save your business money (for example free energy and water reviews, and free HR advice line), your carers money (Kwik Fit Club and reduced gym membership), as well as access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

These initiatives, and others, can be found via Care England’s website (https://www.careengland.org.uk/offers/) and Essex County Council’s Provider Hub (https://www.essexproviderhub.org/care-market-offers/)

Previous Uplifts

Existing Placements Uplifts for 2025/26

April 2025

Older People Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2025 in homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the Integrated Residential and Nursing (IRN) framework will be uplifted by 6.93% from 1 April 2025 and capped at a maximum rate for that district, see table 1 below. Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2025 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the IRN framework will be uplifted 6.99% from 1 April 2025 and capped at a maximum rate for that district, see table 2 below.  This increase will be applied on the finance system from the 1 June 2025, the difference from the current rate to the uplifted rate for the period of 1 April 2025 and the 31 May 2025 will be made via a one-off payment in June 2025.

 June 2025

For all homes that were not previously part of the IRN 2019 framework and applied to join (and were successful) the IRN 2025 framework from June 2025, will see the following applied:

  • Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2025 in homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the Integrated Residential and Nursing (IRN) framework will be uplifted by 6.93% from 1 June 2025 and capped at a maximum rate for that district, see table 1 below.
  • Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2025 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the IRN framework will be uplifted 6.99% from 1 June 2025 and capped at a maximum rate for that district, see table 2 below.

Any care home placement in homes within the ECC administrative area which are below the new minimum IRN framework rate of £743.54 for residential and £915.60 for nursing will be increased to the new minimum IRN framework rate from 1 June 2025.

 Existing IRN providers rates from April 2025

From 1 April 2025 residential care price points will increase by 6.93% and nursing price points will increase by 6.99%. For example, if you are currently on price point 10 for Basildon residential, from 1 April 2025 you will automatically be moved on to the uplifted price point 10 for that area and care type, until your revised pricing submission takes effect.  Revised pricing selected via the IRN 2025 framework tender process will then take effect from the 1 June 2025

Table 1 – Residential Uplift Cap

District

Capped amount

Castle Point

Colchester

Rochford

Tendring

£800.24

Braintree

Chelmsford

Maldon

£822.92

Basildon

Brentwood

Harlow

Uttlesford

£845.53

Epping Forest

£856.87

 

Table 2 – Nursing Uplift Cap

District

Capped amount

Castle Point

Rochford

£1,028.51

Basildon

Brentwood

£1,047.27

Braintree

Chelmsford

Harlow

Maldon

£1,066.17

Colchester

Tendring

£1,085.00

Epping Forest

Uttlesford

£1,160.32

 

All queries related to Older People Residential and Nursing uplifts can be emailed to IRN.ProjectTeam@essex.gov.uk

Existing Placements Uplifts for 2024/25

April 2024

Older People Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2024 in homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the Integrated Residential and Nursing (IRN) framework will be uplifted by 7.38% from 1 April 2024 and capped at a maximum price of £801.36. Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2024 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the IRN framework will be uplifted 7.44% from 1 April 2024 and capped at a maximum price of £1,084.51.  This increase will be applied on the finance system from the 1 June 2024, the difference from the current rate to the uplifted rate for the period of 1 April 2024 and the 31 May 2024 will be made via a one-off payment in June 2024.

June 2024

IRN placements below the provider’s selected IRN rate will be uplifted to the selected IRN rate from 1 June 2024, and any care home placement in homes within the Council’s administrative area which are below the new minimum IRN framework rate of £695.38 for residential and £855.75 for nursing will be increased to the new minimum IRN framework rate from 1 June 2024.

Existing IRN providers rates from April 2024

From 1 April 2024 residential care price points will increase by 7.38% and nursing price points will increase by 7.44%. For example, if you are currently on price point 10 for Basildon residential, from 1 April 2024 you will automatically be moved on to the uplifted price point 10 for that area and care type, until your revised pricing submission takes effect.  Revised pricing selected via the refresh process will then take effect from the 1 June  2024, this will also be when new providers that have successfully submitted a tender will join IRN framework will be admitted to the IRN Framework.

All queries related to Older People Residential and Nursing uplifts can be emailed to IRN.ProjectTeam@essex.gov.uk

 

Additional Provider Support

The Council is committed to supporting the market to deal with financial challenges and to reduce the costs for care providers. Care England and ECC are promoting a variety of initiatives to save your business money (for example free energy and water reviews, and free HR advice line), your carers money (Kwik Fit Club and reduced gym membership), as well as access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

These initiatives, and others, can be found via Care England’s website (https://www.careengland.org.uk/offers/) and Essex County Council’s Provider Hub (https://www.essexproviderhub.org/care-market-offers/)

Existing Placements Uplifts for 2023/24

Older People Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2023 in homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the IRN framework will be uplifted by 8% from 1 April 2023 and capped at a maximum price of £746.27. Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 31 March 2023 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area and placed via the IRN framework will be uplifted 20% from 1 April 2023 and capped at a maximum price of £1,009.40.  Any IRN placements below the new minimum IRN rate of £647.57 for residential or £796.46 for nursing will be increased to the new revised minimum rate. This increase will be applied on the finance system from the 1 June 2023, the difference from the current rate to the uplifted rate for the period of 1 April 2023 and the 31 May 2023 will be made via a one off payment. 

Existing IRN providers rates from April 2023

From 1 April 2023 residential care price points will increase by 8% and nursing price points will increase by 20%, and the first 4 points will be removed from the matrix. For example, if you are currently on price point 10 for Basildon residential, from 1 April 2023 you will automatically be moved on to the uplifted price point 10 for that area and care type, homes currently on price point 1 to 4 will automatically be moved to point 5, until your revised pricing submission takes effect.  Revised pricing selected via the refresh process will then take effect from the 1 June  2023, this will also be when new providers that have successfully submitted a tender will join IRN framework.

IRN Exceptional Needs rate from April 2023

From the 1 April 2023 the IRN exceptional payment will increase from £80.01 to £140 per week.  For current placements with exceptional this will be applied on the finance system from the 1 June 2023, the difference from the current rate to the uplifted rate for the period of 1 April 2023 and the 31 May 2023 will be made via a one off payment. 

All Older People Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 31st March 2022 in homes within the ECC administrative area will be uplifted by 6.1% from 1st April 2022 and capped at a maximum price of £685.72. Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 31st March 2022 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area will be uplifted by 6.4% from 1st April 2022 and capped at a maximum price of £835.03. 

As of the 1st July 2022 Essex have applied an additional increased to all new and existing residential and nursing placements delivered by the IRN framework and spot placements made prior to the 31st March 2022 in homes within ECC administrative area by an additional 0.75% capped at the maximum price of £690.90 for residential care and £841.26 for nursing care.  This should show on the July 2022 schedules.

All queries related to Older People Residential and Nursing uplifts can be emailed to IRN.ProjectTeam@essex.gov.uk

Uplift for 2021/22

All Older People Residential placements made by ECC prior to the 1st April 2019 in homes within the ECC administrative area will be uplifted by 2.1% from 1st April 2021 and capped at a maximum price of £646.31. Nursing placements made by ECC prior to the 1st April 2019 in nursing homes within the ECC administrative area will be uplifted by 2.4% from 1st April 2021 and capped at a maximum price of £784.77. We are aiming for these uplifts to be applied by the end of April 2021.

Existing IRN providers Price Uplift 2021

From 1 June 2021 residential care price points will increase by 2.1% and residential nursing price points will increase by 2.5%. For example, if you are currently on price point 10 for Basildon residential, from 1st June you will automatically be moved on to the uplifted price point 10 for that area and care type, until your revised pricing submission takes effect.

Revised pricing selected via the refresh process will then take effect from the 1st August 2021. This will also be when new providers that have had a successful tender submission go live on the IRN framework.

All providers must be registered on this portal ahead of the publication date.

All placements made by ECC prior to the 1st April 2018 will be uplifted by 2% from 1st April 2020 capped at a maximum price of £632.94 for residential care and £765.66 for nursing. We are aiming for these uplifts to be applied by the end of May.

Given the current situation the annual Integrated Residential and Nursing framework refresh exercise has been suspended until further notice, as this is a time-consuming exercise for both care home providers and ECC staff when we are all rightly focusing our attention on supporting our vulnerable adults. We are currently looking at mechanisms to apply an uplift to new rates and will be in touch with providers shortly to advise you of our plans in this area.

 

Payments for this period will be applied along with the uplift for 2020/21. Qualifying payments will be made to all placements made by ECC prior to the 1st April 2017.  2% will be applied from 1st April 2019, capped at a maximum price of £593.74 for residential care and £724.36 for nursing. The backdated element of this uplift is currently being calculated and will be paid as a lump sum

 

The recommended approach including the backdating of any agreed uplift from 1 October 2018 has been approved, based on the actual residential and nursing occupancy as of 1 October 2018. The Council, has agreed an uplift as per the below subject to a cap of £668.36 for residential care and £681.02 (exclusive of Funded Nursing Care (FNC)) for nursing care per week.

Residential

An uplift of 2% service user per week will be paid providing the current weekly fee is below £668.36. A proportion of the 2% will be paid for service user placements where applicable up to £668.36 per week e.g. if you currently receive a weekly fee of £660.71 for a resident, the fee increase will be £7.65 per week.

Nursing

An uplift of 2% per service user per week will be paid providing the current weekly fee (exclusive of FNC) is below £681.02. A proportion of the 2% will be paid for service user placements where applicable up to £681.02 per week e.g. if you currently receive a weekly fee of £669.90 for a resident, the fee increase will be £11.12 per week.

These increases will apply to any placements made under the old OPRCA, Nursing Framework Contracts but not to placements made under the IRN framework, where prices were reviewed earlier this year for new placements. Similarly, only spot placements made prior to the 1st April 2016 will receive the uplift.

The recommended approach including the backdating of any agreed uplift from 1 April 2017 has been approved, based on the actual residential and nursing occupancy as of 1st October 2017. The Council, has agreed an uplift as per the below subject to a cap of £652.89 for residential care and £665.63 (exclusive of Funded Nursing Care (FNC)) for nursing care per week.

Residential

An uplift of £34.55 per service user per week will be paid providing the current weekly fee is below £652.89. A proportion of the £34.55 will be paid for service user placements where applicable up to £652.89 per week e.g. if you currently receive a weekly fee of £640.00 for a resident, the fee increase will be £12.89 per week.

Nursing

An uplift of £35.07 per service user per week will be paid providing the current weekly fee (exclusive of FNC) is below £665.63. A proportion of the £35.07 will be paid for service user placements where applicable up to £665.63 per week e.g. if you currently receive a weekly fee of £650.00 for a resident, the fee increase will be £15.63 per week.

These increases will apply to any placements made under the old OPRCA or Nursing Framework Contract but not to placements made under the IRN framework, where prices were reviewed earlier this year for new placements. Similarly, only spot placements made prior to the 1st August 2015 will receive the uplift.

The recommended approach including the backdating of any agreed uplift from 1 April 2016 has been approved, based on the actual residential and nursing occupancy as of 1st July 2016. The Council, has agreed an uplift as per the below subject to a cap of £647.00 for residential care and £665.00 (exclusive of Funded Nursing Care (FNC)) for nursing care per week.

Residential

An uplift of £13.58 per service user per week will be paid providing the current weekly fee is below £647.00. A proportion of the £13.58 will be paid for service user placements where applicable up to £647.00 per week e.g. if you currently receive a weekly fee of £640.00 for a resident, the fee increase will be £7.00 per week.

Nursing

An uplift of £13.79 per service user per week will be paid providing the current weekly fee (exclusive of FNC) is below £665.00. A proportion of the £13.79 will be paid for service user placements where applicable up to £665.00 per week e.g. if you currently receive a weekly fee of £657.00 for a resident, the fee increase will be £8.00 per week.

These increases will apply to any placements made under the old OPRCA or Nursing Framework Contract but not to placements made under the IRN framework, where prices were reviewed earlier this year for new placements. Similarly, only spot placements made prior to the 1st August 2015 will receive the uplift.

Last updated: 03/03/2026
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