The Half Yearly Stewart Brown survey of 553 Residential Aged Care facilities to December 2012 has detailed the rise in utility costs, rises which must be a concern to retirement village residents.

The reports says that “the cumulative increase in both rates and electricity since 2007 is far greater than the increase to the CPI over the same period.

“Electricity costs have increased by 111% in that period and rates by 144%".

In the six months to December, electricity costs alone have increased by 17%, a significant increase that will impact on retirement village budgets and fees into the future.