The 16 Places Facing Five Per Cent Council Tax Rises Until 2029

Adult Social Care

Here's what's happening this week in the world of adult social care:

• County areas warned of yearly 5 per cent rises.

• AI discharge summaries pilot promises faster hospital flow.

• Sector Voice on social care: ‘It Needs Funding, Not Fixing’

• Providers intensify funding pressure amid rising unmet need.

⏱️THE MINUTE READ

Adult Social Care Is At A Turning Point

Rising demand, workforce shortages, and an ageing population have made innovation not just helpful - but essential. Nowhere is this felt more urgently than in the assessment process, where hours are spent transcribing conversations, structuring notes, and trying to reflect the person’s voice alongside statutory requirements.​

​That is why a growing number of local authorities are turning to AI to help lighten the load.​

One new tool - co-developed with frontline ASC professionals - automates up to 80% of the assessment write-up, using AI to record, transcribe, and structure the first draft of a Conversation-Based Assessment (CAA). The remaining 20%? That is where professional expertise comes in: refining, validating, and humanising the final plan.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE
The 16 Places Facing Five Per Cent Council Tax Rises Until 2029

CCN analysis suggests the government’s new allocation formula shifts grant to large urban areas, leaving 16 county and rural authorities reliant on the legal maximum 5 per cent council tax rise each year to 2029. Leaders warn cuts to grants will inevitably reduce frontline services, with adult social care most exposed and more councils at risk of section 114. MHCLG disputes the analysis, but budget planning and precept strategies face immediate pressure.

TECH & INNOVATION
AI To Cut Paperwork To Free Up Doctors’ Time For Patients
Government-backed AI at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust drafts discharge summaries by extracting key clinical details, aiming to speed patient handovers and reduce length of stay. Hosted on the NHS Federated Data Platform, the tool could scale if trials succeed, improving information flow to community and social care. Impact: ICSs and councils should plan for digital discharge integration and workflow changes across hospital-to-home pathways.

FUNDING & FLOW (WALES)
Joyce Welcomes Funding Boost To Support Social Care And Cut Hospital Delays
Welsh Government is distributing £30 million to councils to strengthen community-based social care and speed hospital discharge, with £6.19 million allocated across mid and west Wales. Funding targets timely assessments, care packages and early intervention to reduce delays and admissions. Expect local operational plans to prioritise discharge capacity, preventative support and measurable improvements in patient flow.

⚡QUICK READS

Sector Voice: ‘It Needs Funding, Not Fixing’: NCA chair Nadra Ahmed says funding uplifts are not reaching frontline providers, highlighting growing unmet need and calling for government-funded pay and progression to stabilise care delivery.(More)

200+ Scottish Charities Urge Emergency Cash: ALLIANCE and CCPS lead a call for immediate investment and multi-year, inflation-adjusted settlements to avert third sector failures that would heighten NHS and social care pressures.(More)

Scotland Speeds Up Fitness To Practise Cases: SSSC cut case durations for a third year despite rising referrals, contrasting with longer timelines in England and potentially easing workforce uncertainty.(More)