Around 1,500 independent care homes are feared to be on the brink of going bust due to the financial blow from coronavirus.
The Independent Care Group, supporting homes in York and North Yorkshire, estimates 10% to 15% of members are on the brink. And Care England chief executive Professor Martin Green agreed that this was “representative of a national figure”.
He added it is “probably a matter of weeks” before some collapse. With an average 40 residents per home, an estimated 60,000 face upheaval.
Sites are haemorrhaging cash as they lose residents and cannot take new ones. Yet they face cost hikes on staffing and PPE. Some highlight face masks rising from 17.5p each on April 1 to 90p on April 27.