Manchester Council Raises Council Tax £45 for Adult Social Care Services

Manchester City Council voted 8-5 on July 6 to approve an adult social care funding increase drawn from general reserves, a step that will raise council tax for Band D properties across all wards while directing resources to home care assessments.

Why the Decision Matters Now

The council acted during its annual budget adjustment meeting because demand for care services has grown by 12 percent in the past two years, according to the authority's medium-term financial strategy published in June. National changes to local government funding formulas left Manchester with a projected £9 million shortfall in adult care by 2028, prompting the use of reserves rather than immediate service cuts.

Residents in north Manchester wards such as Cheetham and Harpurhey stand to gain quicker home care assessments for elderly relatives, with the added funds expected to shorten waiting times from eight weeks to five. Property owners in southern wards including Didsbury and Chorlton will see the same tax rise but receive no new dedicated care facilities under the current allocation plan.

Local advocates note that families supporting relatives with dementia will face lower out-of-pocket costs for private carers once council-provided visits increase. Business rate payers in the city centre, however, will not receive direct relief, as the levy applies only to domestic properties.

Budget Figures and Next Steps

The approved motion allocates £4.8 million over two years, a figure listed in the council's July 2026 budget papers as coming from unspent reserves built during 2024-25. This amount covers an estimated 1,200 additional home care hours per week for qualifying residents.

Implementation begins with updated tax notices mailed in March 2027. Council officers will publish quarterly reports on assessment waiting lists starting in September 2027, allowing residents to track whether the extra funding reduces delays in their area.