This area of expenditure has also been growing faster than any other part of adult social care. Expenditure on support grew by 32% between 2019/20 and 2023/24, which is a faster rate than the growth rate of inflation and the National Minimum Wage, and faster than the growth rate of expenditure on support for older adults.

The study The forgotten story of social care: The case for improving outcomes for working age and lifelong disabled adults from the County Councils Network and consultants Newton shows all areas of adult social care are seeing rising costs due to factors such as inflation and the minimum wage. However, the increase in average level of support per person is higher for working age and lifelong disabled adults than for older adults, ‘and is due particular attention'.

The report adds that ‘unmitigated without system reform, and with a continuation of current adult social care support trends, analysis indicates that forecast overall expenditure on support for working age and lifelong disabled adults will be 50% more per year – or £6bn more – for England by 2030'.