- Almost half of local authorities responsible for social care anticipate needing emergency financial assistance from the government within the next three years.
- This projection highlights a growing crisis for essential public services, threatening support for vulnerable individuals across the country.
- Councils attribute the financial strain to escalating demand, rising operational costs, and significant deficits from Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services.
- The Local Government Association (LGA) warns of impacts on neighbourhood services and calls for sustainable funding and systemic reform, rather than relying on short-term fixes.
- While the government states it is providing substantial funding and aiming for fairer allocation, unions criticise the situation as 'austerity by any other name' and demand real investment.
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