98% Of Care Homes Are Still Seeing Rapid Cost Increases, Research Shows

98% of care homes are still seeing their costs increasing month-on-month. That’s according to new research carried out by leading meals provider, apetito, in partnership with Care England which has highlighted that economic pressure has not changed since the partners’ previous “Nourishing Lives” research report published in 2023.

Whilst fast-rising food inflation was the key issue driving up costs in 2023, almost all care homes (98%) surveyed cited the changes in National Insurance and National Living Wage as now having the biggest impact on their homes giving additional cost pressures, with 71% forced to make operational or workforce changes as a result.

However, among care homes using a pre-prepared meal service, just 30% have had to make changes to their operations, suggesting the potential of this approach to help mitigate some of the impacts on day-to-day care catering.

And whilst labour shortages seem to have improved across the sector, down from 75% in 2023, 40% of homes are still finding this to be a struggle – impacting on resident mealtimes and providing added challenge and inconsistency when catering for a wide range of dietary needs.

Richard Woodward, General Manager for Care Homes at apetito says:

“There’s no question that the care home sector continues to navigate a storm of rising costs and operational pressures, a headline that has plagued the industry for the last couple of years.

 

“Despite this, the commitment to delivering exceptional, resident-centred care remains clear. Fundamental to this is an excellent dining experience – one that not only meets nutritional needs but also enhances wellbeing.

 

“However, the reality on the ground tells a more complex story. With 63% of homes struggling to meet individual nutritional needs due to time constraints, and 67% facing difficulties in catering for specialist diets amid staff shortages, achieving this high standard of care catering is becoming increasingly difficult under current conditions.

 

“A growing number of homes are turning to high-quality pre-prepared meals as a solution – requiring fewer hands in the kitchen and minimal training while maintaining a great dining experience that is rich in flavour and nutrition.  This approach can help to streamline kitchen operations and ensure staff can better meet the personalised nutritional needs of residents – prioritising resident wellbeing in the face of ongoing sector challenges.”

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, further commented on the research findings saying:

“Food is an important part of good quality care, it provides, not only social interaction, but also nutritional balance and is vital in delivering quality of life. There is a real challenge with rising prices, for care homes to ensure that the quality of their food is maintained, whilst at the same time they must also look to have the most cost-effective options. Recent research by apetito, has clearly shown that using their preprepared meals, delivers a good dining experience, balanced nutrition and efficient use of resources.”

To find out more on how you can streamline kitchen efficiencies whilst maintaining a consistent, enjoyable mealtime experience for your residents, visit: https://apetito.link/carehomemeals