Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on the long-term financial viability of local authorities which use their reserves to fund adult social care.

Local authorities are responsible for managing their budgets in line with local priorities. They are free to determine the level of reserves they hold and are accountable to their electorate for the decisions they make.

Many local authorities have built up substantial reserves over recent years. It is right that they use them where necessary to protect high quality services for taxpayers.

In addition, a further £150 million was made available for Adult Social Care in 2018-19, alongside the freedom to raise more money more quickly through the use of the adult social care precept.