Social Care Costs for Disabled and Working Age People to Hit £17 Billion by 2030, Say Councils

The costs of providing social care for disabled working age adults and those with life-long disabilities could hit £17 billion by 2030, the County Councils Network (CCN) has said.
The CCN, a group which represents 36 councils in England serving 26 million residents, said that the rises are due to the complexity of individuals’ needs, an increase in placement costs, and “inappropriate and insufficient” housing options.
Martin Tett, CCN spokesman for adult social care, said that higher spending and inappropriate housing “is bad for councils and even worse for care users who see their independent dramatically reduced.”
CCN’s analysis found that the cost of supporting working age adults and those with a lifelong disability had increased by nearly a third (32 percent) from £8.3 billion in 2019 to £10.9 billion last year, becoming the “largest area of expenditure in adult social care” and far outstripping the £6 billion spending on over-65s with a physical disability or dementia.
Further, it indicated that 18- to 24-year-olds account for 13 percent of current expenditure on working age and lifelong disabled adults, worth around £1.4 billion a year.
The report said that although the majority of the increased number of young people with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) will not be eligible for adult social care support, “it is expected that expenditure on support for 18–24-year olds will grow by at least 40 percent by 2030 as a consequence of increases in SEND and population growth.”
The report said that increased spending is driven by the complexity and type of care people are receiving—rather than an increase in the numbers of people in these groups needing this support.
In its analysis, the network said that weekly expenditure per individual has increased by 31 percent between 2019 and 2024, from £565 to £735.
It also called for greater focus on independent living and closer alignment between the education and employment sectors to improve opportunities for these people.
Responding to the report, a government spokesperson said that the National Care Service “will improve the quality of care for working-age disabled adults across the country.”
The spokesperson continued: “The Chancellor has announced at least £600 million of new social care funding, as well as an £86 million increase for the Disabled Facilities Grant, which are part of a wider package to bolster support for councils.
The network said that the financial pressure have been driven by a rising demand in just three areas: children’s services, school transport for SEND pupils, and adult social care. These will account for a combined 83 percent of the total increase set to hit councils by 2030.