MORE than one million pounds extra a week could be spent by Surrey County Council within 20 years on care for over-65s.

Office for National Statistics figures reveal the number of people living past 65 is expected to rise by 107,000 to 328,000 by 2036.

Analysis of the data shows that, of those, an extra 2,600 over-65s will fall under the council’s care – up by almost 50 per cent from 5,400 currently.

That would add an estimated £59million to the authority’s annual adult social care bill – equivalent to more than £1.1million a week or around 15 per cent of this year’s budget.

Currently demand is increasing by £24million a year, while the two per cent council tax precept introduced nationally earlier this year to fund adult social care raises just half of that at £12million per annum.

Mel Few, the council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “The fact that more of us are enjoying a longer, more active old age is a cause for celebration.

“Unfortunately there’s also a cost attached to that and while we’re committed to doing the very best for people in later life, these figures really emphasise the strain growing demand and escalating costs are putting our finances under.

“Those pressures already mean the council needs to spend more than £20million extra every year on caring for older people and if these latest estimates are correct that could become almost £60 million annually within two decades unless things change.”