One in four English councils believe they will have to apply for exceptional financial support (EFS) in the next two years without additional funding, stark new research has revealed.
The figure rose to 44% of councils with social care responsibilities, according to the Local Government Association (LGA) survey.
As its annual conference launches in Harrogate today, the LGA also revealed that about a tenth of councils had already discussed the possibility of requesting EFS this year.
It comes after the Government granted the financial support to an unprecedented 18 councils in February.
The LGA survey also found that almost eight in 10 councils anticipated that cuts would affect services for disabled adults and/or older people next year, with 63% expecting that provision for children, young people and families would be affected.
Almost two-thirds of local authorities (62%) said parks, green spaces and sport services would be hit by cuts.
LGA chair Louise Gittins said: ‘The unprecedented emergency support given to councils this year reveals the extraordinary funding emergency facing local government.
‘As our survey shows, many more councils are being pushed into a precarious financial position.
‘The Autumn Budget must provide councils with the financial stability they need to protect the services our communities rely on every day.’
