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      Jobs Live Inform

      Social workers expecting ‘significant cuts’ to social care funding over coming year

      Despite the government increasing social care grants by £1.9bn in 2024-25, most social workers expect resources to be reduced significantly in their area

      By Anastasia Koutsounia on March 13, 2024 in Workforce
      Photo by Community Care

      Most social workers are expecting “significant cuts” to social care funding in their area in 2024-25, a Community Care poll has found.

      This is despite the government allowing councils to raise expenditure on services in general by £4.5bn next year, a 7.5% in cash terms or 5.7% in real terms, dependent on authorities maximising increases in council tax.

      Grant funding for social care alone will rise by £1.9bn year on year.

      However, while welcoming the additional funding, social care leaders have warned that it is not enough to withstand the sector’s financial pressures.

      Celebrate your colleagues

      As part of our celebrations for Community Care’s 50th anniversary, we wanted to highlight the brilliant work social workers do every day to help each other and those they support. Be part of our My Brilliant Colleague series and write to us about a colleague’s excellent practice or support they’ve given you in a time of crisis.

      You or your colleague have the option to be anonymous and the entries can feature anyone you work with, including team managers, practice educators and students. Check out the latest entry and find more information by reading our nominations form.

      In adult social care, councils are expected to be hit with an estimated £1.6bn cost from next month’s rise in the national living wage, while also battling long waiting lists and significant levels of unmet need.

      At the same time, the children’s sector is dealing with soaring care placement costs and a rising complexity in children’s needs.

      Against that backdrop, one in nine councils have had to seek £2bn in emergency financial support from the government to balance their books.

      Over the last few weeks, councils in England have been finalising their budgets for 2024-25. Before that process was completed, we asked practitioners what changes they were expecting to see in social care funding in their area over the coming year.

       

      In a Community Care poll that amassed almost 800 votes, the majority of respondents (79%) said they were expecting cuts, with 61% anticipating significant cuts and around 18% moderate ones.

      Only 11% expected an increase, with 7% awaiting a significant one, while 10% thought there would be a standstill in funding.

      How is your local authority dealing with the financial pressures on social care in 2024-25?

      Share your story

      Would you like to write about a day in your life as a social worker? Do you have any stories, reflections or experiences from working in social work that you’d like to share or write about?

      If so, email our community journalist, Anastasia Koutsounia, at anastasia.koutsounia@markallengroup.com

      Check out previous Readers’ Takes

      • Do social workers feel guilty when unable to meet people’s needs due to reasons beyond their control?
      • Do social workers hold mothers entirely responsible for their children’s safety?
      • Do employers address issues with high caseloads in social work teams?
      • Does discrimination play a role in fitness to practise processes?

      adult social care funding, children's social care funding, readers' take

      More from Community Care

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      Yellow and black color with line striped label banner with word budget deficitMounting social care costs leave councils facing £6.2bn black hole over next two years, warns LGA Rishi SunakWhat the 2024 general election means for social care Council House, BirminghamReview of social work teams among £370m in savings plans set out by Birmingham Photo: ducdao/Fotolia10% national living wage hike will trigger adult social care cuts, councils warn
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