England's councils will receive £60 billion in cash.

Today, December 19, 2022, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove announced an almost £60 billion package for English councils for the upcoming fiscal year, ensuring that the councils can continue to provide essential frontline services.

The agreement means that councils in England will get an additional £5 billion, which represents a 9% increase over the settlement from last year. This is part of the government's ongoing support of councils and public services in the face of financial constraints.

The agreement for the following year contains a one-time Funding Guarantee that guarantees every English council would experience at least a 3% boost in core spending power before any local council tax decisions are made. In addition, the government today announced a new £100 million program for councils to shield the most disadvantaged families from council tax hikes, fulfilling a campaign pledge to shield local taxpayers from disproportionate increases.

Additionally, social care is given priority, with the government allocating an additional $2 billion in grant money for adult and pediatric social care in 2023–2024. Additionally, £300 million will go to NHS England to facilitate patient discharge and increase capacity.

After hearing from councils, the government increased clarity up to 2024–2025, specifying spending for the following two years, enabling town halls to confidently plan ahead.

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