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Councils in Wales are heading for a mammoth £69m overspend on social care , equating to well over a third of this financial year's total overspend. On releasing the figure, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said councils cannot tackle the huge blackhole in social care along with ever increasing demand alone. The local government body also said that on top of the increasing demand on services, council budgets are tightening and peoples' needs are becoming more complex. They warn that without long-term investment from Welsh Government , essential care for children, families and older people will become harder to sustain. "This year, adult and children’s services are seeing more complex cases and are experiencing higher costs," said the WLGA. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here . "In 2023/24, social services in Wales responded to nearly 450,000 contacts, an 8% rise on the previous year. " Demand for home care, support for people with learning disabilities, and mental health services is also rising. More than 81,000 people now rely on ongoing care and support from social services. " The WLGA's 2025 Social Services Pressures Report shows that social care accounts for over £200m of council budget pressures in 2026-27. Around £126m of this is driven by staff pay and rising costs, and £75m by growing demand, the document shows. Speaking at the Welsh NHS Confederation Annual Conference, the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and leader of the WLGA, Cllr Andrew Morgan, said: “Social care is about people and relationships. Every day, social care workers, social workers and families make an extraordinary difference to someone’s life, often in difficult circumstances. "I was pleased to join discussions with the Welsh NHS Confederation, highlighting the critical role of social care in supporting an effective NHS and identifying opportunities for closer collaboration to maintain good health and support communities with their wellbeing and independence. “Councils are working closely with health partners to support hospital discharge and help people live independently. But rising demand and costs mean councils can’t manage this alone. We’re calling for a long-term plan for social care, with real investment in prevention, the workforce and partnership working. “Even with the financial pressures, services are still performing well. Care Inspectorate Wales rates 84% of adult care and 78% of children’s services as good or excellent and I thank all staff for their hard work and commitment to deliver care and support services every day of the week. “Councils are determined to keep providing the support people rely on, but we need a long-term plan that values care as a vital part of our communities. Investing in social care means investing in people, in dignity and in the strength of Wales itself.” A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Our Final Budget for 2025-2026 provides more than £6bn to local government through the final Local Government Settlement for social care and other essential local services. “The budget also provides £1.3bn in additional specific grants, including £30m to strengthen community-based social care services and improve hospital discharge processes.”
