Title

SOCIAL CARE

Two-thirds of councils to cut neighbourhood services

Community services will have to be ‘drastically scaled back’ or cut altogether without further funding for councils, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

Community services will have to be ‘drastically scaled back' or cut altogether without further funding for councils, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

A survey by the LGA found 85% of local authorities will have to make cuts to balance their 2024-25 budget.

Of councils with social care functions, three-quarters said cost savings would be needed in their adult social care budget and 69% expected cuts in children's social care.

The LGA said protecting social care from deeper cuts was having a knock-on effect on other services, with two-thirds of councils warning that communities will be hit by cuts to neighbourhood services this year.

LGA chair Shaun Davies said: ‘Extra Government funding will help councils this year but acute funding pressures remain and are forcing many councils to make stark choices about what popular services to cut.'

Councils surveyed said cuts would affect libraries, parks and green spaces, sport, leisure and cultural services.

SOCIAL CARE

Streeting announces care worker pay boost

By Dan Peters | 30 September 2025

Health secretary Wes Streeting has announced plans to boost pay for care workers from 2028, backed by an initial £500m of funding.

SOCIAL CARE

Dear secretary of state - part 1

By Dr Simon Kaye | 30 September 2025

Secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, Steve Reed, has a lot on his plate since assuming the role last month. Here, Re:State’s Sim...

SOCIAL CARE

Government axes cohesion fund

By Dan Peters | 30 September 2025

The Government has insisted it is ‘absolutely committed to bridging the divides between our communities’ despite axing a cohesion fund launched after 2024’s ...

SOCIAL CARE

When it comes to new towns, smart has trumped brave

By Jackie Sadek | 29 September 2025

The report from the independent New Towns Taskforce is a plan that might actually work, 'and local communities need to be incentivised to absorb these levels...

Popular articles by Ellie Ames