Issue

Adult Social Care

78 stories · discussed at 39 council meetings · 29 councils

Councils are addressing significant financial pressures and rising demand in adult social care, with recent CQC ratings highlighting service performance.

Lambeth's Adult Social Care services received an overall 'Good' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May 2026, with an 'Outstanding' rating for Equity in Experiences and Outcomes. Sutton's services also received a 'Good' CQC rating in 2025, praised for Technology Enabled Care, though facing rising demand. Lewisham's services were rated 'Good' by the CQC in August 2026, with areas for development including improved support for unpaid carers. Hackney's safeguarding concerns tripled in 2025/26, with a rise in self-neglect and younger adult cases, a report to the Adults Health and Integration Scrutiny Commission revealed in September 2026.

Many councils are addressing significant financial pressures in adult social care. Sutton Council faces a £36.5 million budget gap over the next three years, partly due to rising demand in adult social care, a report to the Strategy and Resources Committee said in October 2026. Bromley Council projects a £4.5 million overspend for 2026-2027, with pressures in care placements and staffing, according to budget monitoring data presented to the Executive in September 2026. Enfield Council's Cabinet approved a £7.3 million budget realignment in September 2026, directing funds to adult social care after it faced a £7.7 million overspend.

Kingston Council's People Committee approved a new adult social care strategy for 2026-2029 in September 2026, focusing on promoting independence and supporting unpaid carers. Islington's adult social care services exceeded its care home admission target in Quarter 4 of 2025/26, with the council investigating contributing factors, a performance report to the Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee showed in September 2026. Lewisham's Mayor and Cabinet are scheduled to discuss financial and strategic matters, including adult social care, on 07 October 2026.

Key facts

  1. Lambeth's Adult Social Care received an overall 'Good' CQC rating in May 2026. Source
  2. Sutton Council faces a projected budget gap of £36.5 million over the next three years. Source
  3. Hackney's safeguarding concerns tripled from 1,780 in 2024/25 to 2,798 in 2025/26. Source
  4. Bromley Council projects a £4.5 million overspend for the 2026-2027 financial year. Source
  5. Enfield Council's Cabinet approved a £7.3 million budget realignment in September 2026. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 7 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 8

  1. Wandsworth to Increase Adult Social Care Fees by 2.2% to Address Overspend Wandsworth Council is set to increase fees for adult social care services by 2.2% from 1 April 2025, as revealed at the Health Committee meeting on Monday 01 December 2025. The... Wandsworth 2 December 2025
  2. Islington Council Reviews Adult Social Care Accommodation Islington Council has reviewed and responded to the Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee's report on Adult Social Care (ASC) accommodation. The Executive... Islington 1 December 2025
  3. Bexley Council Faces £2.37M Overspend, Adult Social Care Hit Hardest Bexley Council is facing a £2.37 million overspend, primarily driven by challenges in Adult Social Care, according to the latest budget monitoring report. The Public Cabinet... Bexley 1 December 2025
  4. Merton Council Considers Savings in SEND Transport and Adult Social Care to Address Budget Gap Merton Council is exploring potential savings in its budget for the upcoming years, with a focus on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) transport and adult social... Merton 30 November 2025
  5. Adult Social Care in Harrow Risks Service Delivery Failures Due to Budget, Staffing, and Equipment Issues Harrow Council faces potential service delivery failures within its adult social care sector, according to a recent meeting of the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and... Harrow 29 November 2025
  6. Hillingdon Council Faces £30M Overspend Due to Social Care Demand and Savings Shortfalls Hillingdon Council is facing a significant £30.2 million overspend, primarily driven by increasing demand for social care services. Adult Social Care demand is contributing... Hillingdon 23 November 2025
  7. Enfield Council Faces £3.3 Million Overspend in Children's Services Amidst Broader Financial Challenges Enfield Council is grappling with a significant financial challenge, projecting a £3.3 million overspend in its children's services. This contributes to a larger £7.5 million... Enfield 23 November 2025
  8. Enfield Council Faces £63M Budget Gap by 2030 Amidst Rising Social Care Demands and Funding Uncertainty Enfield Council is projecting a significant budget shortfall of £63.4 million by the period spanning 2026/27 to 2029/30, according to a recent financial update presented to the... Enfield 23 November 2025