To ask the Minister of Health whether any assessment has been made of the financial viability of domiciliary care contracts, in light of rising fuel, vehicle maintenance and staffing costs.

I recognise the vital contribution that homecare providers make to the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of vulnerable people across Northern Ireland and acknowledge the challenges that rising fuel costs and wider cost pressures have created.

The Social Care Fair Work Forum was established in October 2021 and aims to embed Fair Work initiatives and enhance terms and conditions for all employees across the social care sector, supporting the development of a sustainable workforce.

Officials are engaged in ongoing discussions with the sector on a number of issues including pressures within the independent sector, the Real Living Wage, supply, recruitment and retention of the health and social care workforce, and the wider sustainability of the social care system.

In recognition of these pressures, approval was provided in advance of April 2026 for the application of interim 2026/27 uplifts by Trusts to independent sector social care providers. These uplifts include additional funding to reflect support for the increase in National Living Wage from April 2026, a 2% uplift for non-pay inflation and some additional support for the increase in Employers National Insurance to support independent sector providers with a range of cost pressures.

In addition, my Department published a 10-year Strategic Plan and associated 3-year initial Delivery Plan on 23 March 2026 to reform adult social care, which includes a commitment to undertake an economic appraisal of the fair cost of adult social care to inform rates of payment and the sustainability of services.

However, given the financial constraints my Department is facing, and in the absence of an agreed budget, there are limited options to provide additional financial support at this time, although this position will be kept under review.