Scottish councils have spent over £400 million in the last five years on social care agency staff and overtime, the Scottish Conservatives can reveal.
The figures, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, show the costs were split virtually 50/50, with £200.4m being spent on agency staff and £199.7m on overtime.
Almost a quarter of the total was incurred by Glasgow City Council, who spent £37.5m on agency and £62.2m on overtime – £99.7m in total. Edinburgh was the next highest spender, with a combined £40.1m, followed by West Dunbartonshire (£29.2m).
The annual cost of agency and overtime in the social care sector has also increased from £60.2m in 2020-21 to £85.7m in 2024-25 – a 42% increase.
Shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane slammed the SNP for presiding over a social care crisis in Scotland. He said that the £30m “squandered” on their doomed National Care Service could and should have been used to hire extra care workers.
He added that councils are already suffering because of “brutal” SNP budget cuts, and that their failure to address staff shortages is only piling on the pressure.
Scottish Conservative shadow health and social care secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said: “The SNP are presiding over a social care crisis in Scotland.
“These shocking, whopping figures expose an exhausted workforce, with chronic staff shortages forcing carers into endless overtime.
“Councils are grappling with brutal SNP budget cuts, and the government’s failure to address staff shortages in the care sector has left them robbing Peter to pay Paul, to the tune of £400m.
“The SNP shamefully squandered £30m on their doomed National Care Service, money that could have been used to hire extra care workers and take the pressure off overworked staff.
“SNP ministers must urgently cut waste in the public sector and redirect savings to support our struggling frontline services.”
Notes
Scottish councils have spent £400.1 million on overtime for social care staff and agency fees. £200.4m was spent on agency fees and £199.7m was spent on overtime. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on Request).
Glasgow City Council spent the most of any council on overtime and agency fees. Glasgow spent £37.5m on agency staff and £62.2m on overtime. The next highest was Edinburgh who spent £40.1m in total, followed by West Dunbartonshire with £29.2m. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on Request).
The annual cost of agency and overtime in the social care sector has increased by 42.4% since 2020-21. In 2020-21, councils spent £60.2m on agency staff and overtime, by 2024-25 this had increased to £85.7m. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on Request).