West Dunbartonshire Council has spent almost £30 million on social care overtime and agency staff since 2020
That money is part of the £400 million spent in the past five years on social care agency staff and overtime by Scottish councils, according to the Scottish Conservatives.
The figures, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, show the costs were split virtually 50/50, with £200.4 million being spent on agency staff and £199.7 million on overtime.
Almost a quarter of the total was incurred by Glasgow City Council, who spent £37.5 million on agency and £62.2 million on overtime – £99.7m in total. Edinburgh was the next highest spender, with a combined £40.1million, followed by West Dunbartonshire with £29.2 million.
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, left, slammed the SNP for presiding over a social care crisis in Scotland.
He said that the £30 MILLION “squandered” on their doomed National Care Service could and should have been used to hire extra care workers for places such as Crosslet House in Dumbarton.
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.
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 £400 million.
“The SNP shamefully squandered £30 million 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.”