Social care organisations risk missing out on covid-19 bailout payments after a council said it did not have enough cash to meet requests.

A total of £100m was promised by the Scottish government to help care employers meet higher costs because of the pandemic.

Local authorities distribute sustainability payments to care providers, though concerns have been raised that the money is not getting through to the frontline.

But now providers in Renfrewshire have been told the council cannot meet any more requests due to a shortfall in Scottish government funding.

A letter to providers from Sarah Lavers, chief financial officer of Renfrewshire health partnership, seen by healthandcare.scot states: ‘At this time, the level of funding made available to Renfrewshire HSCP is insufficient to fully meet the cumulative additional costs being claimed by our social care providers through the numerous claims which have been submitted for sustainability and remobilisation payments.

‘As such, we will be unable to fully fund claims made at this time, but will use our best endeavours to support providers move forward in a manner that promotes sustainability including, working collaboratively on transitional planning and service remobilisation.’

Figures released by the Scottish government show the health and social care partnership (HSCP) received £1.7m of the initial £50m, though a breakdown of the next tranche of £50m has not been issued.

The £100m support is separate from a fund to ensure that care workers who have to self-isolate because of the virus are paid sick pay, which remains in place until the end of September.

A spokesperson from Renfrewshire HSCP said it was “fully committed” to meeting claims from care providers and was releasing payments “up to the level we are funded”.

The HSCP said: “The payments we are due to release over the next week will bring occupancy payments up to date to the end of August.

“In addition, we are also in the process of concluding a batch of sustainability payments which, along with the occupancy payments, will be paid.

“Further payments will be paid out on receipt of the next tranche of funding which is anticipated will be in October.

“We are in regular contact with our care providers and are working hard to ensure that their claims are processed and paid timeously in line with the sustainability funding we receive from the Scottish Government.”

The Scottish government was approached for comment.

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