Figures released under freedom of information rules show councils in Scotland spent £400.1 million on social care overtime and agency staff between 2020 and 2025. The split was £200.4 million for agency staff and £199.7 million for overtime. The annual outlay across the country rose from £60.2 million in 2020-21 to £85.7 million in the latest year.

Glasgow City Council accounted for the largest share, at £99.7 million. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the Scottish Government should have used £30 million spent on preparations for the dropped national care service plan to hire more carers or to reduce reliance on agency staff. He added: “These shocking, whopping figures expose an exhausted workforce, with chronic staff shortages forcing carers into endless overtime.” Glasgow City Council was contacted for comment.

The Scottish Government said it is working to improve outcomes for those who need or receive social care. It highlighted a budget for 2025-26 that includes more than £15 billion for local government and almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration, with the overall health and social care envelope at about £21.7 billion. Officials also cited the Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 and noted that spend on the national care service programme from August 2021 to date accounts for about 0.45% of the £8.7 billion allocated to social care and integration in the same period. They warned that external pressures, including UK migration policies and rises in national insurance contributions, cost the sector around £84 million.