“Councils need sustainable, long-term funding to better protect the services that people rely on, as they face rising demand and increasing costs to deliver them."
Responding to the announcement of councils receiving Exceptional Financial Support in 2026/27, Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said:
“It is good that funding levels have increased in recent years, after having issued stark warnings about the financial black hole facing councils for more than a decade. This announcement lays bare the severity of the financial situation in which many councils find themselves after years of historic underfunding and further demonstrates that Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) arrangements are no longer exceptional, but are becoming an ever more relied upon mechanism to support councils facing severe financial pressures.
"Despite a much-needed multi-year funding settlement, which has improved councils’ financial certainty, real concern remains over the sector’s capacity to cope over the coming years and we will continue to argue for more money for local government, alongside public sector reform.
“Councils need sustainable, long-term funding to better protect the services that people rely on, as they face rising demand and increasing costs to deliver them. Local government remains committed to working with the Government to secure new powers and greater flexibility, to enable councils to lead place-based solutions and deliver for their communities.”