Adult social care in Kingston: the hidden crisis behind your 2% council tax precept

Every year, 2% of your council tax increase is labelled as the "adult social care precept". It sounds like a dedicated fund to protect elderly and disabled residents. The reality is that social care in Kingston, as across England, is in a slow-motion crisis that a 2% precept cannot fix.

The fee increase that is not enough

Kingston has increased fees paid to care providers by 6.7%, bringing home care rates to £22.50 per hour. Providers say this still does not cover the true cost of delivering care, particularly given the National Living Wage increase, pension costs, and fuel prices. Several care agencies have already stopped taking new referrals from the council because the rates are too low.

What happens when providers leave

When care agencies stop working with the council, existing clients can be transferred to new providers — a disruptive experience for vulnerable people who rely on familiar carers. Worse, there may not be enough alternative providers. Kingston has already seen instances of delayed hospital discharges because there is no care package available at home.

3,000 residents depend on this

Around 3,000 Kingston residents receive adult social care. They include elderly residents who cannot manage daily tasks without help, working-age adults with learning disabilities or physical disabilities in supported living, and people with mental health conditions. These are among the most vulnerable people in the borough.

The national failure

To be fair to Kingston Council, adult social care is a national policy failure. Successive governments have promised reform and delivered nothing. The 2% precept was introduced as a temporary measure and has become permanent. But the question for Kingston's administration is: given this broken system, are you doing everything you can locally?

What to ask your councillor

How many care providers have stopped taking council referrals? How many delayed hospital discharges were caused by lack of care packages? What is the average waiting time for a needs assessment? These are questions your councillors should be able to answer.