The hike was announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Autumn Budget statement last month.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England said: ‘The Government's decision to push ahead with the employer NIC changes is nothing short of a blow to the heart of the adult social care sector. Care providers are already struggling to stay afloat under the weight of rising costs, and this increase could be the final straw for many. This is a Government-created crisis, and the refusal to exempt, defer or fund the impact social care providers will have from these increases shows a shocking disregard for the millions of people who rely on this care every day.'

Green said its members were in a ‘fight for the future of adult social care' and urged all care home providers, residents and their families to sign the petition.

‘The consequences of this decision are stark and deeply troubling,' Green added. ‘Services for working-age adults with complex needs risk disappearing altogether, leaving some of the most vulnerable members of our society without the specialised care they rely on to live independently and with dignity. For older people, the impact is equally devastating; delayed care, reduced access to vital support, and the very real prospect of losing the services that enable them to age with comfort and security. This is not just about numbers; it's about lives profoundly disrupted and communities left to bear the cost of inaction.'