Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, has today (19 December 2022) agreed a nearly £60 billion package for councils in England for the next fiscal year, ensuring that councils can continue to provide essential frontline services.
The settlement means councils throughout England will receive an additional £5 billion, a 9% increase over last year's settlement, as the government continues to support councils and public services despite mounting financial pressures.
The agreement for the following year contains a one-time Funding Guarantee that ensures every council in England will get at least a 3% increase in core spending power before any local decisions are made regarding council tax. Alongside this, the government confirmed today a new £100 million scheme for councils to safeguard the most vulnerable households from council tax hikes, fulfilling the campaign pledge to protect local taxpayers from excessive increases.
Social care is also a priority, with the government giving an additional $2 billion in grant funds for adult and child social care in 2023/24. Additionally, NHS England will get £300 million to help increase capacity by facilitating patient discharge.
After listening to councils, the government has provided greater clarity through 2024/25 by defining spending for the next two years, allowing town halls to confidently plan ahead.
Comments
Post a Comment