ADASS Budget Survey 2019: CCN responds

Today the Association of Directors of Social Services have released their annual budget survey for 2019, illustrating the financial pressures on local authorities in delivering adult social care.

You can download the publication here.

Below, the County Councils Network responds to the new publication.

Cllr David Williams, County Councils Network spokesman for health and social care, and leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said:

 “County leaders share the pessimism of directors who responded to today’s survey from The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS). The current impasse at the top of government which has delayed the long-awaited social care green paper is putting immense pressure on services. With spending on social care falling for the first time in almost a decade – despite demand rising – it is clear councils are now struggling to protect frontline care services. We appreciate that both leadership candidates have expressed their desire to solve the adult social care funding crisis, and we urge whoever becomes the new Prime Minister to make the publication of the green paper one of their top domestic priorities. This document must set out bold and radical reform to the system which does not shirk the difficult questions as to who and how we pay for care.

 “The County Councils Network’s recent report on council funding pressures over the next six years clearly illustrates that the present situation is unsustainable. By 2025, county authorities will be spending £2.9bn more on adult social care services compared to what they were spending a decade prior;  their large and ageing populations means that they are most exposed to demand and cost pressures. This is compounded by the geographical nature of county areas, with larger travel times driving up costs of providing care services.

 “The ADASS budget survey reveals that 38% of the average council’s budget is spent on adult social care. However, for county authorities this figure is 47% – meaning that those authorities are spending close to half their yearly budgets on just social care,  leaving counties with even less room to manoeuvre when making tough decisions. At the bare minimum, councils need emergency funding next year, and clarity over the big funding streams for social care, as soon as possible.”