Sixteen English councils spent over 80% of their core funding on adult and children's social care in 2025-26, according to Guardian analysis of government figures. This highlights increasing financial pressure on other local services.
Councils responsible for social care collectively spent a net £42.8bn on adult and children's services last year, which is a record 71.9% of their combined core spending. Adult social care made up 44.5% of this, while children's services accounted for 27.4%. In comparison, care costs were 62.4% of councils' core spending in 2017-18.
This overspending is attributed to an ageing population with complex care needs, rising inflationary pressures, and growing demand for children's social care. These factors are reportedly pushing many councils towards bankruptcy.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced at the Labour conference on Tuesday that the government plans to begin laying the groundwork for a National Care Service, to be introduced after the next election. This service would be partly funded by changes to the earnings element of the triple lock. The government has also accelerated an independent review of adult social care by Louise Casey, now expected next year, which will help shape the new care service.
Halton in Cheshire had the highest net spending on social care relative to its spending power at 92.9% in 2025-26. An official audit last month found its finances unsustainable, despite cuts and asset sales, and Halton received £35m in government-approved exceptional financial support this year.