THE low rate paid by Bradford Council for home care risks forcing local companies out of business and compromising the dignity of clients.

That's the stark warning from an organisation representing the local care industry, as a Council scrutiny committee prepares to investigate the issue.

Bradford Council currently pays private firms £12.50 per hour to help elderly or disabled people with tasks like eating, washing or housework.

But the Bradford Care Association, which represents 17 local home care providers, has grave concerns that this is simply not enough.

In a letter to the authority's Health and Social Care overview and scrutiny committee, it says that the current price "falls substantially below providers' efficient costs" and risks driving companies out of the market.

Next week, the scrutiny committee is holding an investigation into the Council's rate of pay for home care, and what impact this is having in the district.

The Bradford Care Association was asked to contribute its views as part of this investigation, and its response pulls no punches.

It says: "The feedback the association has received from its members is that they are under immense financial strain and simply cannot continue to provide the services expected of them by the Council and required by service users

"Unless urgent action is taken, many of these providers will be forced to withdraw from the market."

It calls for the rate to be upped by at least £3 if the authority wants care workers to receive the minimum wage, or £6 if workers are to get a so-called 'living wage'.

The association says that the current £12.50 rate is "not sustainable in either the short, medium or long term" and warns that if it stays at this rate, there will be a negative impact on the length and quality of visits.

It says that this "at the very least has a negative impact on the dignity afforded to a service user in the provision of their care".

The UK Home Care Association recently published guidance recommending that local authorities pay at least £15.74 for home care.

A report by Bradford Council points out that the average rate paid by local authorities across Yorkshire and the Humber is £12.65.

The committee meets on Wednesday at 4pm and then again on Friday at 11am to conduct its investigation.

Committee chairman, Councillor Vanda Greenwood (Lab), has previously said the issue would be "thoroughly scrutinised" before the committee drew up recommendations for the authority's decision-making Executive.