Local Authorities Spent Additional £1.5bn On Adult Social Care In 2023-24 Than In Previous 12 Months

Councils increased social care spending by £2.3bn (6.6%) in real-terms last year, according to official figures in a report entitled: “Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2023 to 2024”

Total Service Expenditure for all local authorities in England was £123.4 billion in 2023-24, an increase of £2.8 billion (2.4%) in real terms compared to 2022-23.

Authorities boosted real-terms expenditure on adults’ services by £1.5bn go £23.3bn, (+7.0%) in real terms to £23.3 billion. This increase was largely due to a real terms increase of £514 million (+10.3%) in Physical support for those aged 65+, and of £434 million (+6.8%) in Learning disability support those aged 18–64.

This comes via new UK Government data, which also showed that spend on children’s social care was up £821 million in the same period, an increase of 6% for a total annual spend of £14.5 billion.

Councils are also substantially increasing social care spending in 2024-25, with expenditure on adult social care due to increase by 9.2%, and children’s services spending is expected to rise by 11%, after taking account of inflation.

This has been aided by further increases to government social care grants over 2023-24 levels.

However, despite the Local Government Association forecasting considerable further pressures on services in coming years, the new Labour government has indicated that it will take a tough approach to public spending, blaming its fiscal inheritance from the Conservatives, notably a £22bn “black hole”.