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Adult Social Care Newsletter | New Unitary Councils Could Face Steep Social Care Funding Gaps

Plus, ADASS says four in five people will need care, but funding is falling short—reform must come before the General Election.

Author

Rafe Houston
May 08, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 106 minutes

Adult Social Care

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THIS WEEK’S RADAR🎯

  • AI Education: Agilisys offers free GenAI workshops to councils, kicking off at Wigan

  • Care Reform: ADASS campaign warns reform delays will cost lives and urges immediate action

  • Staffing Crisis: Visa restrictions deepen social care workforce shortages, risking collapse

  • Local Budgets: New unitary councils may face uneven financial strain due to ageing populations

  • Digital Innovation: AI and sensor-led care transforms resource use in TEC-enabled councils

  • Workforce Boost: NHS Apollo pilot encourages family carers to join social care workforce

AI EDUCATION

🤖 Free AI workshops for your council​

Are you a local authority or school interested in exploring AI solutions but do not know where to start? ​

Agilisys are offering a suite of AI workshops for interested councils and schools all focused on bringing Generative AI to SEND, Children’s Services and Adult Social Care. ​This past week, they were at Wigan Council leading AI workshops for over 100 council staff on ways to safely and securely integrate AI into their council operations. ​

​Whether you are starting your AI journey or looking for ways to expand – have a look at the Agilisys website for the services and solutions they offer and feel free to fill out the form on the website mentioning your interest in a free AI workshop for your council or reach out to [email protected] ​

SOCIAL CARE REFORM

ADASS stresses that immediate investment in adult social care is vital, as four in five people will require support in their lifetime and current council budgets are insufficient. The Commission’s 2028 timeline risks delaying critical reforms before the next General Election, prompting calls for swifter action and low- or no-cost improvements now. Public awareness remains alarmingly low, highlighting the urgency of ADASS’s new Care Can’t Wait campaign.

SOCIAL CARE CRISIS

Britain’s social care sector faces a severe staffing crisis, with 100,000 vacancies exacerbated by government restrictions on foreign care worker visas and the aftermath of Brexit. New immigration policies, including a ban on family members accompanying workers, are making recruitment increasingly difficult, threatening the well-being of the country's most vulnerable. Immediate policy re-evaluation is essential to prevent further collapse of social care provision.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE

Plans to split Essex County Council into new unitary authorities risk placing uneven and increased financial burdens on some areas regarding adult social care, as costs vary significantly due to demographic differences—particularly in regions with larger elderly populations. The reported 13% rise in recipients of long-term support is partly due to newly included data categories, but underlying demand remains high. Residents face potential council tax increases if service quality is to be maintained amid these pressures.

DIGITAL HEALTH INNOVATION

Access Technology Enabled Care (TEC) employs AI and sensor technology to provide personalised, proactive care for vulnerable individuals, enabling local authorities to monitor wellbeing in real time and optimise limited resources effectively. By detecting subtle changes in daily routines and delivering targeted interventions, TEC has proven to improve budget management and care outcomes. Its privacy-conscious design, interoperability, and high adoption rates position it as a pivotal tool for sustainable service delivery.

SOCIAL CARE WORKFORCE

The NHS’s Apollo pilot seeks to address the acute shortage of adult social care workers in Norfolk and Suffolk by offering government-funded, short care training courses, specifically encouraging former family carers to pursue employment in the sector. With 8.3% of care roles unfilled and reliance on overseas recruitment, targeted training opens critical job pathways while addressing workforce gaps. Slow government reforms intensify the sector’s urgent need for qualified domestic carers.