Council not expecting to overspend on adult social care budget

Rochdale Borough Council

Rochdale Borough Council is bucking the national trend which sees more than half of councils expecting to overspend their adult social care budgets this year by up to nearly £21 million each.

A survey by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) also shows all local authorities face having to help pay a potential adult social care bill of nearly £270 million to fund six years of backpay for sleep-in shifts,

Sleep-in pay costs are the second biggest concern – after ring-fenced investment money - for directors of adult social services directors in England as they approach winter pressures facing the sector.

The survey found that the average cost - for councils, providers and self-funders, per council area – to pay for six years of backpay for sleep-in shifts is £1.78 million. If this figure was applied to the 151 councils in England providing adult social care the total would amount to £269 million.

The potential bill comes as more than half (53%) of Directors forecast an overspend on adult social care budgets this financial year. The average estimated overspend is £2 million, with the highest at £20.8 million.

However, this is not the case in the Rochdale Borough, which delivered services last year 'within budget'.

Steve Blezard, assistant director for adult care at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We delivered our services within budget last year and we do not envisage any overspend this year.

"We are not complacent and we will continue to work with our partners to address the significant challenges ahead within health and social care.”