Sixteen councils in England spent more than 80% of their core funding on adult and children's social care last year, according to an analysis of government figures that highlights the growing financial pressure on other local services.
Councils responsible for social care spent a net £42.8bn on adult and children's services in 2025-26, equivalent to a record 71.9% of their combined core spending. Adult social care accounted for 44.5% of that total, while children's services made up 27.4%.
The figures mark a significant shift in the balance of local government spending. In 2017-18, care costs represented 62.4% of councils' core spending. The increase of nearly ten percentage points over eight years reflects rising demand for care services and the growing share of council budgets they consume.
The sixteen councils that crossed the 80% threshold are spending the overwhelming majority of their available core funding on social care, leaving a shrinking proportion for other statutory services such as waste collection, road maintenance, libraries, planning and cultural provision.
Core spending power is the measure used by the government to describe the resources available to local authorities, combining council tax, government grants and other retained income. When care costs absorb more than 80% of that total, the financial room for other services becomes severely constrained.
The analysis points to a structural pressure that has been building for years. Adult social care supports older people and adults with disabilities, while children's services cover safeguarding, looked-after children and family support. Both areas are demand-led, meaning councils have limited ability to reduce costs without affecting the level of care provided.
For residents, the consequences are felt in the services they use daily. As care takes a larger share of the budget, councils face difficult choices about what else they can fund. Some have already reduced or restructured discretionary services, and others have warned about the sustainability of their financial position.
The figures also raise questions about the future of local government finance. With care costs rising faster than overall core spending, the trend suggests that more councils could join the group spending over 80% of their funding on social care in the coming years.
Councils have repeatedly called for a long-term funding settlement that reflects the true cost of delivering social care. Without additional resources or a change in how care is funded, the pressure on other local services is likely to intensify.
The analysis of government figures provides the most detailed picture yet of how care spending is reshaping council budgets across England. It shows that the shift is not confined to a handful of authorities but is a sector-wide trend affecting the majority of councils responsible for social care.
Adult social care's 44.5% share of core spending underlines the scale of support required by an ageing population, while the 27.4% devoted to children's services reflects the complex needs of vulnerable young people and the cost of safeguarding them.
Together, these two areas now account for almost three-quarters of what councils spend from their core funding. The remaining 28.1% must cover everything else for which local authorities are responsible, from bin collections and road repairs to parks, leisure centres and economic development.
The sixteen councils spending more than 80% on care are at the sharp end of this trend. For them, the margin for other services is extremely narrow, and any further increase in care costs would put additional strain on already stretched budgets.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence about the financial challenges facing local government in England. They also illustrate how the rising cost of social care is gradually redefining the role and capacity of councils, with care increasingly becoming the dominant function of local authorities.