Politics
London Boroughs Receive Reallocated Grants: Outer Areas Gain Social Care Funding
Residents in outer London boroughs receive increased funding for adult social care while inner London councils face reduced grants for the same services.
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How we reported this
The Greater London Authority's 2026-27 budget, published on 7 July, changes how it distributes core grants to the 32 London boroughs and the City of London. The shift moves £85 million from inner London allocations to outer London boroughs for adult social care and housing support services. Boroughs such as Barnet, Bromley and Havering gain the largest increases while Westminster, Camden and Islington see the steepest reductions.
Why the change arrives now
The reallocation follows updated population projections from the Office for National Statistics that show faster growth in older residents outside central London. The GLA budget paper states the new formula applies from 1 April 2027 and replaces the previous needs-based model used since 2022. Local authority finance officers received the detailed tables last week.
Outer borough councils will use the extra money to expand home care visits and sheltered housing places. Inner boroughs must either raise council tax or cut discretionary services to cover the shortfall. Policy analysts note that day-to-day resident services such as library hours and youth clubs sit outside the protected adult social care category and therefore face the first cuts.
Concrete effects on daily costs and access
A pensioner in Havering who qualifies for home care will see the borough's waiting list shorten by an expected three weeks because of the added grant. A similar resident in Camden will encounter longer assessment delays once the council trims its care budget by 4 per cent. Small businesses that rent council-owned premises in inner London face possible rent rises if boroughs seek new revenue streams.
The legislation states that the GLA will publish quarterly monitoring reports starting in October 2027. Borough finance directors have until September to submit revised service plans. Residents can check their own borough's allocation on the GLA website once the final figures are confirmed next month.