Combined authority makes £5m fund available for care providers sector

A new £5m LCR Care Providers Fund could benefit up to 1,700 child care and care home businesses across the Liverpool city region.

The fund, launched today by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, will be administered by the region’s six local authorities.

Adult care homes, child minders, out of school clubs, and day care nurseries/pre-school providers will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £5,000.

This is the latest round of more than £40m of support provided to businesses in the Liverpool City Region by the combined authority, using central government’s Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

Previous grants have focused on hospitality, leisure and retail. The last grant round expanded this to include businesses who had lost 40% or more of their income.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a significant impact on the Liverpool City Region’s childcare and care home businesses, including a fall in demand, alongside increased costs related to creating COVID-safe environments.

Frank Rogers, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority chief executive, said: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, the combined authority and our constituent local authorities have worked together, doing everything we can to support our local businesses through what has been an enormously challenging period.

“This latest round of funding for the social care sector is about maintaining momentum in providing that support.

“We are ready to kick-start our economic recovery when we come out of the other side of the pandemic. Until then we will continue to support local businesses affected by the pandemic to help ensure they can stay afloat until that point.”

The LCR Care Providers Fund is available to CQC-registered adult care homes, Ofsted-registered child minders, out of school clubs, and day care nurseries/pre-school providers in the Liverpool city region who have not previously accessed funding from the Additional Restrictions Grant, and that qualify as small and micro businesses.

One-off grants available include £500 for child minders, £2,500 for out of school clubs, and £5,000 for day care nursery/pre-school provision and adult care homes.

Businesses should visit their local authority website – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and St Helens and Wirral – for more information, guidance and how to apply.

The LCR Care Providers Grant closes on May 18.