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Adult Social Care

80 stories · discussed at 47 council meetings · 31 councils

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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. Lambeth's Adult Social Care services received an overall 'Good' rating from the CQC in May 2026, achieving 78 out of 100. Source
  4. 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
  5. 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.

Stories, page 4

  1. Children's services face budget pressures Lambeth Council is grappling with significant budget pressures, with children's services facing a projected overspend of £2.018 million for the current financial year. This is... Lambeth 23 July 2026
  2. Council warns of funding cuts impact Lambeth Council is grappling with a severe financial crisis, forecasting an £11 million overspend for the current financial year and a staggering £93 million budget gap over the... Lambeth 23 July 2026
  3. Barnet Council's Adult Social Care Faces Invoicing Systemic Issues Barnet Council's Finance and Growth Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee has raised significant concerns regarding invoicing issues within adult social care, pointing to systemic... Barnet 22 July 2026
  4. Redbridge Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy Faces Uncertainty Redbridge Council faces significant financial uncertainty, with projections indicating a substantial funding gap from the 2029/30 financial year onwards. Despite securing an... Redbridge 21 July 2026
  5. Merton faces £9.6m budget gap by 2027/28 Merton Council is facing a projected budget gap of £9.694 million by the financial year 2027/28, with the deficit expected to grow to £33.808 million by 2030/31. This... Merton 17 July 2026
  6. Camden Residents Influence Adult Social Care Future Through 'We Care' Project Camden residents have played a pivotal role in shaping the future of adult social care in the borough, with their expectations and insights forming a key part of a recent... Camden 10 July 2026
  7. New Families, Health and Care Policy and Accountability Committee established in Hammersmith and Fulham Hammersmith and Fulham has established a new committee to scrutinise health and care services across the borough. The Families, Health and Care Policy and Accountability... Hammersmith and Fulham 30 June 2026
  8. Sutton Council's People Directorate Faces Significant Financial Pressures, Particularly in Adult Social Care and SEND Services Sutton Council's People Directorate is grappling with significant financial pressures, accounting for two-thirds of the council's overall budget. Adult Social Care alone... Sutton 20 June 2026