SOCIAL CARE

Council tax rises will not fix 'chronically underfunded' care system

Increases in council tax will fail to fix the ‘chronically underfunded’ social care system, local authority leaders have warned.

Council tax increases will fail to fix the ‘chronically underfunded' social care system, local authority leaders have warned.

Research from the Local Government Association (LGA) has found that 83 of England's social care authorities are considering or have approved an adult social care precept in 2019/20, with 38 using the full 2% precept.

The adult social care precept rises will bring in an extra £197m to pay for adult social care services, which, the LGA points out, would not even cover the £290m cost of paying for the increase in the National Living Wage.

It has been estimated that even if all councils used their council tax flexibilities to the maximum allowed adult social care services would still face a funding gap of at least £1bn in 2019/20 just with maintaining existing standards of care. 

SOCIAL CARE

Social care disaggregation cost could hit £500m a year, CCN claims

By Dan Peters | 07 March 2025

The annual recurring cost of splitting up and duplicating county council social care services into multiple new authorities could reach more than £500m, the ...

SOCIAL CARE

Funding: That is the question

By Rob Whiteman | 05 March 2025

Making the sector more financially resilient is a more crucial issue than reorganisation, says Rob Whiteman, and he puts forward five ways to tackle the grow...

SOCIAL CARE

The clear path for care reform

By Cllr Mike Stonard | 03 March 2025

Genuine social care reform can be achieved now, by hearing the voices of those on the ground, says Cllr Mike Stonard

SOCIAL CARE

Council leader: Legally challenging grant axing worthwhile

By Dan Peters | 28 February 2025

North Yorkshire Council’s legal action against the Government over a £14m funding cut could cost more than £250,000.

Popular articles by William Eichler