Care homes’ £6 a day virus levy

ONE of the UK’s largest independent care providers has introduced a daily ‘coronavirus levy’ of £6.47 on private residents staying at its homes.

Agincare has been accused of ‘greed’ after it decided to introduce the charge, which totals around £200 a month.

But chairman Derek Luckhurst said the levy was needed to pay for the high cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as higher staffing bills during the pandemic.

The Dorset-based firm runs 23 care homes across the country and according to the latest figures, the firm made a profit of £2.36million in 2018.

The company has faced criticism for its decision. Jan Urquijo, whose 93-year-old mother pays £939 a week to live at an Agincare home in Bournemouth, said: ‘I’m appalled, it’s just greedy.’