£5m LCR Care Providers Fund Launched

A new £5m LCR Care Providers Fund, launched today by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, could benefit up to 1700 child care and care home businesses across the City Region.

Through the Fund, which was agreed and will be administered by the Liverpool City 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 £5000.

This is the latest round of more than £40 million 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.

Speaking about the LCR Care Providers Fund, Frank Rogers, Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, 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 kickstart 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 are available as follows:

Childminder	£500
Out of school club	£2,500
Day Care Nursery/pre-school provision	£5,000
Care home (Adults)	£5,000

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 18^th May. Please note, due to the volume of applications expected, it may take several weeks to consider applications and for applicants to receive a decision. An application made during the ‘grant application window’ does not guarantee approval for payment.  Completed applications will be appraised in order of receipt by the Local Authority.