CYP Now - Council spending on early years and children’s services set for dramatic real-terms increase, data shows

Local authority spending on early years provision is set to increase by almost half this year while children’s social care costs could see a real-terms increase of 11%, according to government data.

Children's social care and early years costs for councils are set to increase. Picture: Pressmaster/Adobe Stock

Predicted expenditure on children’s services is likely to rise by more than 10% for the second consecutive year, to £14.2bn in 2024/25, according to the figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC).

The department puts this down to “predominantly the result of real terms increases to two categories of children’s services” including a £933mn predicted increase on spending for children in care and a predicted increase of £277mn on children and young people’s safeguarding.

Recent research from the Local Government Association (LGA) warns that councils face a £6.2bn funding gap over the next two years due in part to rising pressures on children’s services.

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