Council Tax: Social Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of the average Band D council tax is comprised of the social care precept; and how much and what proportion of local council spending is spent on adult social care.
Answered by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Council tax levels are set by individual local authorities and councils are directly accountable to their local communities for how they spend council tax. The total Council Tax Requirement for 2026-27 is £47 billion, representing 53% of local authorities’ Core Spending Power. The adult social care precept flexibility in 2026-27 accounts for £35, or 1.5%, of the average Band D council tax bill.
The proportion of this funding spent on adult social care varies between local authorities, reflecting differences in need, local priorities and council tax revenue raising ability.
As set out in the latest revenue outturn data, in 2024-25 local authorities spent £25.3 billion on adult social care, accounting for 42% of Core Spending Power in social care authorities. MHCLG’s revenue outturn collection for each financial year is published online here: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing - GOV.UK.
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