R (SARCP) v Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Subject Matter

LOCAL GOVERNMENT — Community care services — Persons in need of care and attention — Care home fees — Local authority contracting with private care home providers for care home accommodation — Contract providing for minimum uplift of fees payable to providers — Local authority increasing fees at minimum rate and below inflation rate — Claimant organisation representing care home providers challenging decision on basis uplift insufficient to cover actual cost of providing care — Whether local authority’s exercise of contractual discretion amenable to judicial review — Whether claimant having standing to bring public law claim — Whether local authority failing to follow statutory guidance — Whether breaching public sector equality duty — Human Rights Act 1998 (c 42), ss 6, 7, Sch 1, Pt I, art 8 — Equality Act 2010 (c 15), s 149(1) — Care Act 2014 (c 23), ss 5, 78

[2025] EWHC 18 (Admin); [2025] PTSR 1311; [2025] WLR(D) 72, KBD

Commentary

Local Government Lawyer
Setting care home fees Case comment