Issue

Adult Social Care

76 stories · discussed at 42 council meetings · 29 councils

Councils face rising demand and financial pressures in adult social care, while focusing on performance and strategic planning.

Councils are currently grappling with significant financial pressures and rising demand for adult social care, which provides support for adults with care needs. Bromley Council projects a £4.5 million overspend for 2026-2027, citing pressures in placements and staffing, as reported in September 2026. Enfield Council approved a £7.3 million budget realignment in September 2026, directing funds to adult social care due to demand growth. Hackney also reported a tripling of safeguarding concerns from 2024/25 to 2025/26, increasing pressure on services.

Performance of adult social care services is also a key focus. Sutton's services were rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2025, praised for Technology Enabled Care, as reported in September 2026. Lewisham's services also received a 'Good' CQC rating in August 2026, though areas for improvement included support for unpaid carers. Kingston Council approved a new adult social care strategy for 2026-2029 in September 2026, focusing on independence and enhanced support for unpaid carers.

Looking ahead, Hackney's Cabinet will meet on 6 October 2026, and Lewisham's Mayor and Cabinet on 7 October 2026, with adult social care on their agendas. Adult social care refers to services provided by local authorities to support adults with care and support needs due to age, illness, or disability.

Key facts

  1. Sutton's adult social care services were rated 'Good' by the CQC in 2025, achieving a 70% score. Source 1 Source 2
  2. Hackney's safeguarding concerns tripled from 1,780 in 2024/25 to 2,798 in 2025/26. Source
  3. Islington's adult social care services exceeded their 2025/26 care home admission target of 190, with 197 admissions. Source
  4. Bromley Council projects a £4.5 million overspend for the 2026-2027 financial year, partly due to adult social care pressures. Source
  5. Enfield Council approved a £7.3 million budget realignment in September 2026, directing funds to Adult Social Care. 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 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 3

  1. Adult Social Care Pressures Lead to £1.2m Savings at RICs and £1.5m at Unluckily, Council Faces £2.4m HSC Overspend Tower Hamlets Council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee has reviewed the council's financial position and performance, with adult social care pressures contributing to a £1.2... Tower Hamlets 29 July 2026
  2. Brent Council Projects £18.3m Overspend in 2025-26 Due to Social Care and Homelessness Pressures Brent Council is facing a projected £18.3 million overspend for the 2025-26 financial year, primarily driven by significant pressures in adult social care and homelessness... Brent 29 July 2026
  3. Adult social care demand drives costs Lambeth Council is grappling with a substantial financial deficit, projecting an overspend of nearly £11 million for the current financial year and a cumulative budget gap... Lambeth 23 July 2026
  4. Lambeth Council Faces £11m Overspend Amidst Significant Financial Pressures Lambeth Council is grappling with a significant financial challenge, projecting an overspend of nearly £11 million for the current financial year. The council's Cabinet convened... Lambeth 23 July 2026
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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