Adult Social Care
Councils are currently grappling with significant financial pressures in adult social care while also responding to recent service performance assessments.
Several councils are reporting significant financial pressures in adult social care, services provided to adults who need support with their health and wellbeing. Bexley Council forecasts a £0.6 million overspend in October 2026 due to rising demand. Sutton Council faces a £36.5 million budget gap over three years, partly driven by increasing adult social care demand. Bromley Council projects a £4.5 million overspend for 2026-27, with adult social care placements and staffing contributing to pressures. Enfield Council approved a £7.3 million budget realignment in September 2026 to address adult social care pressures.
Recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments have highlighted varying service performance. Lambeth's adult social care received an overall 'Good' rating in May 2026, with an 'Outstanding' for Equity. Sutton's services were rated 'Good' by the CQC in 2025, praised for Technology Enabled Care. Lewisham's adult social care also received a 'Good' CQC rating in August 2026, but identified areas for improvement including support for unpaid carers and assessment delays. Hackney reported a tripling of safeguarding concerns from 2024/25 to 2025/26.
Councils are also developing strategies to address these challenges. Kingston Council's People Committee approved a new adult social care strategy for 2026-2029 in September 2026, prioritising independence and carer support. Lewisham Council is set to enhance unpaid carer support following its CQC inspection. Enfield Council adopted a new four-year strategic plan in September 2026, which includes adult social care. Newham Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to discuss the topic on 27 October 2026.
Key facts
- Bexley Council forecasts a £0.6 million overspend in its revenue budget for social care due to rising demand, as reported in October 2026. Source
- Sutton Council faces a projected budget gap of £36.5 million over the next three years, partly due to rising demand in adult social care, as reported in October 2026. Source
- Lambeth's Adult Social Care services received an overall 'Good' rating from the CQC in May 2026, achieving 78 out of 100. Source
- Hackney reported that safeguarding concerns tripled from 1,780 in 2024/25 to 2,798 in 2025/26, according to a September 2026 report. Source
- Kingston Council's People Committee approved a new adult social care strategy for 2026-2029 in September 2026, focusing on independence and carer support. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. 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 22 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.