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Written question asked by Mel Stride (Conservative) on Thursday, 12 June 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 June 2025 (named day). It was answered by Darren Jones (Labour) on Tuesday, 17 June 2025 on behalf of the Treasury.


Local Government Finance

Question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.74 of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether the 3.1% annual growth figure for local authority spending power assumes all councils increase core council tax by 3% each year and all councils apply the full 2% adult social care precept increase as well; what the annual average real terms increase in grant funding will be between 2023-24 and 2028-29; and what the annual average real terms increase in grant funding will be between 2025-26 and 2028-29.

Answer

Table 5.17 of the Spending Review 2025 document refers to an estimated average annual real-terms growth rate for Local Authority (LA) Core Spending Power of 3.1% per year from 2023-24 to 2028-29. The approach to council tax within these estimates is in line with standard practice for LA Core Spending Power figures published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-note-on-core-spending-power-final-local-government-finance-settlement-2025-to-2026/explanatory-note-on-core-spending-power-final-local-government-finance-settlement-2025-to-2026.

As also set out in Table 5.17, the estimated average annual real terms increase in grant funding between 2023-24 and 2028-29 for the Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) budget will be 5.2%. Between 2025-26 and 2028-29, it will be 1.1%.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
59314
Session
2024-26
Related items
Spending Review 2025
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Command papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Local Government Finance
Tuesday, 8 July 2025
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Council tax Grants Local government finance Social services
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk