County council spending on children’s social care doubles, leaders warn
Fiona Simpson
Monday, March 18, 2024
Most county councils in England have seen per-person spending on children’s services double over the last decade, according to the County Council’s Network (CCN).
For the 37 councils in county areas in England, per-person spending on children’s services has increased from £88 per head in 2013/14 to £171 per person in 2023/24.
This is higher than any other council type in England, analysis of figures from all 152 local authorities finds, with the average increase standing at 77%.
The analysis by Pixel Financial Management for the CCN shows that spending on children’s services is consuming almost a quarter of all council expenditure – up from 18% in 2014.
Spending on adult social care has also increased with two services alone now consuming two-thirds of the average local authority’s budget, the analysis shows.
“Councils are spending significantly more on children’s services and adult social care because demand and costs have mushroomed between 2014 and 2024, with councils spending less on all other services as a consequence.
“Alongside this, government grant funding has largely been focused on those care services, and there has been the introduction of social care council tax precept. However, these measures have been insufficient to compensate for rising costs and demand,” it states.
It adds that due to the number of children in care currently reaching a record high as the over-65 population continues to grow, spending on both children’s and adults social care will “continue to be squeezed”.
Councillor Roger Gough, CCN spokesperson for children’s services said: “With more than two-thirds of the average county local authority’s budget now spent on just children’s services and adult social care, rising to three quarters in some areas, there is simply less and less each year for us to spend on highly valued services such as libraries, road repairs, and street lighting.
“We need to have an honest discussion with all main political parties as we head into the general election on what councils can reasonably be expected to deliver, in a climate where substantive extra funds are unlikely and both demand and costs are set to rise. In tandem with this, the next government should also undertake an ambitious reform programme to drive down costs in children’s services and social care, leaving no stone unturned.”
The CCN is calling on the next government to set out a comprehensive set of reforms, which if implemented successfully, could help address demand and costs in children’s services.
This includes reform of the marketplace in children’s services, and a cap set on what private provide providers can charge for residential placements for children in care.
