Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of rising fuel prices on carers who are required to attend home appointments.

No recent assessment has been made. The vast majority of care workers are employed by private sector providers which set terms and conditions independently of central Government. Local authorities work with care providers to determine fee rates, which should take account of employment costs, based on local market conditions. The Government continues to work closely with local authorities to understand the impact of emerging challenges, such as rising fuel costs.