Redbridge Council is spending £500 less than the national average on supporting people with extra needs at home – but that could soon change.

The authority’s cabinet voted to invest more money into parts of its adult social care services to account for the discrepancy with other areas.

It currently pays £917 per year for certain support services, while other areas pay £1,484.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Cllr Mark Santos, cabinet member for health, said he hopes the strategy and new investment will provide a “much more seamless experience for patients” as well as make vital savings.

He explained how the authority wants to intervene early to help maintain people’s independence, in an attempt to make up for government cuts.

He said: “As a local authority we do not get funding enough for our needs, with one of the fastest population growths in London, with a rising number of over-85s, there are lots of challenges.

“The government has cut funding, it has been negligent in how it funds adult social care and if you are taking this seriously, this is an issue that they need to show some leadership and initiative on.

“We are focusing on early intervention, prevention and avoiding people being brought into central care, appropriately of course.”

Cllr Santos added that the council will now focus on a “strength based approach” to social work, in other words asking patients what they need and what assets they and their family have to support themselves and personalising care packages to ensure unnecessary spending is avoided.

He added: “We want to promote independence and with some of our other preventative measures, like our outdoor gyms, we are getting to the more hard to reach populations.

“We are trying to be innovative, working with our communities and the volunteer sector whilst investing in more positive approaches.”