Sheffield’s Care agencies have been left struggling with increased fuel prices – and staff say it means some vulnerable people may not be able to afford their services.

Alison Gibson, from Handsworth-based Ali Gibson care agency, said: “The people that suffer are the clients, as our hourly rates have to increase, so people start to not be able to afford valuable care.”

With fuel prices rising from 131.71p to 144.16p per litre due to the war in Iran, care services who rely on staff being able to travel to clients have been hit hard.

This is a result of the conflict that occurred between the US and Iran, which has led transport and production of gas across the region to slow or stop.

Mrs Gibson said: “The government have no idea about pressures.”

Despite the increase in prices of fuel, insurance, tires, servicing and vehicles the HMRC mileage allowance benchmark that many care agencies use to reimburse staff has remained a static rate since 2011.

The costs for these businesses also included paying employees at the minimum wage, which is rising.

Mrs Gibson said: “The increase is impactful on staff as what they get paid per mile hasn’t changed, mileage alone is 25 per cent of business running costs”

She reported that jointly between her staff, the agency might travel anything up to 1,000 miles a day with staff often having to ‘carry the can’ when it comes to increases in cost.

The demand for social care in Sheffield is incredibly high with figures showing more than 20,000 requests for social care in 2024.

Mrs Gibson said: “If staff couldn’t get to calls, where do I start? We look after a lot of vulnerable people with poor mental health, learning disabilities, people unable to get out of bed and people who depend on us to eat and drink and prescribe medication.

“We would never not get to a client and have to walk, which happens often in adverse weather. We would never let our clients down.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has commented on the issues that the conflict has caused.

She said :”I know that families and businesses are worried about the impact of rising prices. I have said that we will be responsive to a changing world and responsible in the national interest

“We did not start this war. But the ongoing conflict in the Middle East affects us, and we are responding to it.”