Local Government 2021-22 Provisional Outturn And 2022-23 Budget Estimates

21st June 2022

The Chief Statistician has released figures on 2021-22 provisional outturn and 2022-23 budget estimates for revenue and capital services provided by local authorities.

In 2021-22, net revenue expenditure was provisionally reported as £12,715 million and budgeted as £12,954 million for 2022-23. Education and Social Work continue to be the services with highest net revenue expenditure in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Local authorities reported provisional general funding of £13,726 million in 2021-22, and budgeted for £13,809 million of general funding in 2022-23. General Fund reserves at 31 March 2022 were provisionally reported as £2,681 million, and budgeted to be £2,382 million at 31 March 2023.

Capital expenditure was provisionally reported as £3,483 million in 2021-22, and budgeted as £4,691 million in 2022-23. The main sources of capital financing are grants & contributions and borrowing, with borrowing expected to increase significantly to £1,683 million in 2021-22, and then to £2,785 million in 2022-23.

Total external debt was provisionally reported as £18,993 million in 2021-22, and budgeted as £20,981 million in 2022-23, with local authorities continuing to remain under-borrowed.