Care England, the leading voice for adult social care providers in England, has welcomed the 5.4% increase in the NHS-Funded Nursing Care (FNC) rate for 2026/27, which will see the standard weekly payment rise from £254.06 to £267.68, and the enhanced rate rise from £349.50 to £368.24, from 1 April 2026.

Funded Nursing Care is the NHS contribution towards the cost of nursing care provided by registered nurses for residents living in nursing care homes who do not qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare but have a secondary healthcare need.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:
“This increase in the Funded Nursing Care rate is a welcome step and reflects the growing cost of providing nursing care. Nursing providers are supporting people with increasingly complex health needs, and that care requires skilled staff, clinical oversight and the right level of funding to deliver it safely.

Nursing homes are an essential part of the health and care system. Every day they support people who would otherwise be in hospital, help people leave hospital safely, and provide ongoing care for those with significant clinical needs in community settings.

What matters now is that this recognition is reflected locally. When Integrated Care Boards agree locally determined Continuing Healthcare fee uplifts for the year ahead, they must recognise the same cost pressures that this increase acknowledges. Without that, providers will continue to face a growing gap between the cost of delivering care and the funding available.”

Care England will continue to engage with the Department of Health and Social Care to share insight from across the sector on the delivery of nursing care in England’s care homes.