Councils need to administer a huge number of care contracts with a multiplicity of providers. Julian Pilling says using the right data and technology could help tackle fraud

Social care has become a political hot topic in the wake of ongoing cutbacks to the sector. The UK's spending on social care is however a remarkable £32bn per year – a figure close to matching the defence budget. In total, around £22bn is spent on adult social care, with a further £10bn spent on children's social care. Adult social care alone accounts for 38% of councils' spending.