The ADASS Spring Survey, published 14 July 2026, warns that councils face an overspend of £715 million on adult social care.

In response, a CSA spokesperson said:

“A projected £715 million overspend on adult social care is a stark warning that the current system is not sustainable. As more people need support, councils are being forced to make increasingly difficult decisions with resources that simply haven’t kept pace with demand. The result is that too many older people, disabled people and unpaid carers are left waiting, struggling to cope, or going without the support that could help them stay independent.

“The survey underlines that this is about much more than local government finances. Whether it’s people waiting months for help, disputes over NHS Continuing Healthcare, growing pressures on mental health services or families providing ever greater levels of unpaid care, these are all symptoms of a system that no longer works as it should.

“There is now a genuine opportunity to change course. With a new Prime Minister taking office and Baroness Casey’s Commission underway, this must be the moment to move beyond managing today’s pressures and start building the care and support system the country needs for the future. We hope the new Government will seize this moment, work cross-party and to deliver the lasting reform that has been promised for far too long.”