7.7% FNC Uplift Welcomed but Wider Funding Issues Remain, says Care England

Care England, the leading voice for adult social care across England, welcomes the 7.7% increase in the NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) rate for 2025/26.

While this uplift provides much-needed recognition of the increasing costs of the nursing only cost elements of care, it must also set a precedent for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to deliver equivalent increases in Continuing Healthcare (CHC) rates from 1st April.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:

“This increase is a step in the right direction, but it cannot be viewed in isolation. The pressures on the social care sector are relentless; rising National Insurance Contributions, the increasing burden of delegated healthcare tasks, and a shrinking pay gap between nurses and those on the National Minimum Wage all threaten the sustainability of nursing care. Unless ICBs follow suit and uplift CHC rates by at the very least the same amount, we risk a system where providers simply cannot afford to provide nursing care which will add to hospital discharge challenges. This must be the start of a much broader commitment to funding care properly by both ICBs and wider local authority commissioners, not just a one-off adjustment.”

This marks the tenth year that Care England has worked alongside the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure that FNC rates reflect the rising costs faced by providers, reinforcing the importance of sustained collaboration in addressing the financial challenges within the sector.

While the increase in FNC rates will help providers cover a portion of nursing costs, it remains critical that ICBs follow suit and uplift CHC funding and set an example to local authorities and government to reflect the true cost of care. Without adequate increases, providers risk facing further financial strain, undermining efforts to ensure high-quality nursing care for those who need it most.