The ADASS Autumn Survey 2024 highlights the growing and urgent challenges facing councils as they work to deliver vital care and support services amidst unprecedented financial pressures.
The annual survey conducted by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) is sent to every Director of Adult Social Services in the 153 English councils with social care responsibilities. This year they had a response rate of 86% between 12th September and 9th October.
Findings include:
- Adult social care budgets are under severe strain. Currently, 81% of councils expect to overspend their adult social care budgets this year—up from 72% in 2023/24—with an estimated total overspend of £564 million.
- A significant number of councils are being required to make further in-year savings—35%, compared to 19% in 2022, with a projected increase to £1.4 billion in required savings by 2025/26. This severely constrains councils’ ability to invest in essential areas such as workforce development, preventive services, and support for unpaid carers.
- The next policy cycle of the Better Care Fund is an opportunity to reorient the fund toward prevention, enabling health and social care partners to deliver the right care at the right time and place.
- The report underscores the importance of investing in the workforce to help ease pressures on health and care systems alike.
- While Client Level Data is making strides, further collaboration is needed to unlock the potential of integrated data across health, housing, welfare, and social care—empowering people with more choice and control over their care and informing sound policy and financial decisions.
Responding to the survey Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of VODG says:
‘The latest evidence from local government Directors commissioning social care, reiterates the stark reality facing providers – essential services, relied upon by millions of people, are under threat due to a lack of central government funding.
'It is a sign of a broken system when councils are overspending by over £560m a year on social care and in turn underfunding third sector organisations delivering essential care and support.
‘Last week’s budget was another blow to providers who continue to face increasing costs, reducing fees and rising demand. The increase in national insurance contributions will cost millions of pounds, without any sign of exemption for charities and no evidence that councils already on the brink, will be able to shore up the sector.
'The government must stop closing its eyes to the reality facing social care and fully fund services to enable the people that rely on them to thrive.’