Self-Neglect
Councils are addressing the rising prevalence of self-neglect in adult safeguarding, with some reporting it as the most common concern.
In September 2026, Richmond upon Thames' Safeguarding Adults Board reported self-neglect as the most prevalent form of abuse, accounting for 28% of safeguarding concerns in 2025-26. Hackney's Adults Health and Integration Scrutiny Commission heard in September 2026 that safeguarding concerns, including those related to self-neglect, tripled in 2025-26, increasing pressure on frontline services.
Brent Council's Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee reviewed the Brent Safeguarding Adults Board's strategic plan for 2024-2026 in June 2026. This plan focuses on self-neglect, housing need, and substance misuse, and includes the development of a Self-Neglect Toolkit to support interventions for adults failing to care for their own basic needs.
In September 2026, Wandsworth's Safeguarding Adults Board reported that safeguarding arrangements in the borough remain effective, with 99.7% of recorded safeguarding outcomes fully or partially achieved in 2025-26. The board noted that 80% of individuals felt as safe as they wanted to be following an intervention.
Key facts
- Self-neglect accounted for 28% of safeguarding concerns in Richmond in 2025-26, according to the Safeguarding Adults Board. Source
- Safeguarding concerns in Hackney tripled from 1,780 in 2024/25 to 2,798 in 2025/26. Source
- Wandsworth's Safeguarding Adults Board reported 99.7% of recorded safeguarding outcomes were achieved in 2025/26. Source
- Brent Safeguarding Adults Board's strategic plan for 2024-2026 focuses on self-neglect, housing need, and substance misuse. Source 1 Source 2
- Brent Safeguarding Adults Board developed a Self-Neglect Toolkit. 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.