Politics

Preston Council Phases Social Care Funding Changes Starting October 2026

Preston residents will encounter revised eligibility assessments for adult social care and adjusted council budgets starting in the autumn under the legislation's first implementation stage.

By Preston Policy Desk · Published 9 July 2026

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Preston Council Phases Social Care Funding Changes Starting October 2026 — Photo by btphotosbduk / flickr (by)

The Social Care Funding Bill, approved by the state legislature in June, revises grant allocations to local authorities including Preston City Council with staged changes to assessment criteria and service delivery timelines.

Phased rollout schedule

Section 12 of the bill requires councils to adopt new means-testing thresholds from 1 October 2026. Preston City Council must complete staff training and update its online portal by that date, after which new applications for home-care support will use the revised income bands. Existing recipients will receive review notices between November 2026 and February 2027.

Local advocates note that the legislation states councils must publish quarterly progress reports on the transition. Preston's first report is due in December 2026 and will detail how many residents have completed reassessments.

Effects on daily services and costs

Households in the PR1 and PR2 postcode areas that currently receive means-tested care packages will see billing adjustments appear on council tax statements mailed in March 2027. The bill projects an average shift of £18 per week for those whose contributions change under the new formula. Preston City Council has already set aside £1.4 million from its 2026-27 budget to cover transitional administration costs.

Policy analysts say residents who rely on community transport to day centres may notice timetable revisions from April 2027 once councils reallocate ring-fenced transport grants. The legislation requires these reallocations to be finalised by 31 March 2027.

The government says the policy will complete its second phase by September 2027, at which point all Preston adult social care contracts must incorporate the updated quality standards. Further updates to children's services funding formulas are scheduled for the 2028-29 fiscal year.

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