The Government has allocated over £12 billion directly to councils since the start of the pandemic, over £6 billion of which is unringfenced, recognising that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet their major COVID-19 pressures.
We have also announced £1.6 billion additional grant for local government for each year of the next Spending Review which local authorities can use to meet funding pressures, including those exacerbated by the pandemic. We continue to closely monitor the sector's finances as we emerge from the pandemic.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kemi Badenoch"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-01T16:12:09.177Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance: Coronavirus"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he will take to support local authorities to reduce deficits accumulated as a result of covid-19-related expenditure.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "64658"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1347427", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1347427/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have been clear throughout the pandemic that all councils would be supported through this crisis, and they have been, with over £12 billion allocated directly to councils.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-20T14:16:55.067Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether officials at his Department informed local authorities that they would be expected to used reserves to balance their budgets as a result of the emergency circumstances of the covid-19 outbreak.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Reed"} ], "uin" : "33937"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1347429", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1347429/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
My Department continuously engages Her Majesty\u2019s Treasury on local authority reserve levels as part of our routine work on local government finances.<\/p>
Individual local authorities determine the level of reserves that they hold and are accountable to their electorate for the decisions they make.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-20T14:15:38.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on levels of reserves held by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Reed"} ], "uin" : "33938"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346305", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1346305/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government has committing a total of over £12 billion in England to support local authorities in tackling the impacts of Covid-19. Over £6 billion of this is un-ringfenced in recognition that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major pressures in their local area.<\/p>
In addition to this the Government made available an increase in Core Spending Power in England from £49 billion in 2020-21 to up to £51.3 billion in 2021-22, a 4.6% increase in cash terms. This recognised the resources councils need to meet their pressures and maintain current service levels.<\/p>
We have continued to work with local government as the pandemic has progressed, including through specially tailored financial monitoring. Our latest figures show that local authorities spent a total of £6.9 billion in responding to the pandemic in 2020-21, against funding provided of over £9 billion.<\/p>
As the local government finance system continues to move into a more stable position, we will assess the demands faced by councils and the resources available to meet them in the context of the upcoming Spending Review.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-19T16:00:28.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the reported shortfall in council budgets following the covid-19 outbreak.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Reed"} ], "uin" : "32408"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1315634", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1315634/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government allocated over £9 billion directly to councils in 2020-21 for COVID-19-related expenditure and income pressures. At the Spending Review the Chancellor announced that local authorities will receive over £3 billion of additional support for COVID-19 in 2021-22. This includes a further £1.55 billion of grant funding to meet additional service pressures which has now been paid to authorities. \u200bThis takes the total support committed to councils in England to tackle the impacts of COVID-19 to over £12 billion. \u200b<\/p>
As part of our support package, councils also have access to a compensation scheme for lost income from sales, fees and charges, which has been extended to June 2021, through which the\u202fGovernment\u202fwill support local\u202fcouncils with\u202f75% of losses beyond the first 5% of losses. \u200b<\/p>
We are aware that a number of local authorities have used reserves to balance their budgets as a result of the emergency circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak. Official statistics on reserves used during the pandemic are not yet available, though will be published in due course. We would ask that any local authority that is faced with an unmanageable pressure or is concerned about its future financial position should approach MHCLG for discussion.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-24T16:43:53.85Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities that have had to use reserves to balance their budgets as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps his Department is taking to help those local authorities replenish their reserves.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4378", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Colleen Fletcher"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry North East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Colleen Fletcher"} ], "uin" : "3006"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1304019", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1304019/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Core Spending Power for local authorities in England could rise from £49.0 billion in 2020-21 to up to £51.3 billion in 2021-22, depending on local decisions - a 4.6% increase in cash terms. If councils do decide to take up the entirety of the increase on offer, they will see an overall increase in line with last year\u2019s. This recognises the resources councils need to meet their pressures and maintain current service levels. These resources were reflected in the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2021/22, which received broad support from the majority of those who responded to the consultation and was passed in Parliament unopposed.<\/p>
We are collecting monthly financial monitoring returns to better understand the additional costs councils are facing due to COVID-19. According to the latest of these returns, the estimated expenditure pressures for the financial year are £7.3 billion. The Government has allocated over\u202f£8\u202fbillion\u202fdirectly to councils since the start of the pandemic specifically for their expenditure pressures. Furthermore, the Chancellor took action at the Spending Review to provide local authorities with over £3 billion of additional support in 2021-22, taking total support committed to local authorities to tackle COVID-19 to over £11 billion. This level of support has been broadly welcomed by the sector.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-25T17:35:11.947Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-03-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on funding for local government to (a) increase Government support to pre-2010 levels and (b) ensure that local government additional spending on Covid-19 is fully recovered by councils.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir George Howarth"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Knowsley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir George Howarth"} ], "uin" : "171508"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1280313", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1280313/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "