Cuts in services loom to pay for social care
Councils could be forced to make cuts to libraries and bus services to meet the rising demand for social care, the Local Government Association warns.
Spending on social care for vulnerable children and adults is set to account for 60p in every £1 of council tax collected in 2019/20.
The prediction is up from 41p in 2010/11, say the LGA, which also warns that councils will have little choice but to squeeze budgets for libraries, roads and street lighting in order to meet the demand for care services.
The figures indicate that in 2019/20 just 1p in every £1 of council tax will be spent on street cleaning and flood defences, 5p will be spent on road maintenance and street lighting and just under 5p to fund libraries, leisure centres, parks, museums and arts.
The analysis is based on an assumption that cuts in central government funding will continue at a similar level to the last five years and there are no significant changes to council tax.
David Sparks, LGA chairman and former DudleyCouncil leader, said: "This analysis shows the pinch that families all over the country will feel from central government continuing to reduce funding for local services. It is likely people will be paying similar levels of council tax over the next few years but most will see a lot less in return.
"The reality is that, within a few years, well over half of the council tax everyone pays will have to be spent on social care.
"With demand on these life-and-death services continuing to rise and funding from central government continuing to fall, councils will have little choice but to squeeze budgets for libraries, roads and street lighting."
