Tag #Agency Staff

What are the primary factors driving the substantial increase in agency worker spending among north-west England councils, and what are the immediate consequences for service delivery?

Councils in north-west England significantly increased spending on agency workers, with some seeing sevenfold increases over five years. This is largely attributed to a severe workforce crisis in local government, impacting social care services most acutely. The two largest authorities, Lancashire and Manchester, each spent approximately £30 million last year.