Unprotected areas of public spending – including local government budgets - face ‘cuts on a colossal scale’ in the next Parliament, a leading economics think-tank has warned.
Analysis of the Autumn Statement undertaken by public finance experts Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests further £55bn cuts to Whitehall operational budgets will be required over the next full spending review period.
By comparison £35bn real terms cuts to Departmental Expenditure Limits are due to have been made by the end of 2014/15 – less than two fifths (39%) of total deficit reduction measures, the IFS has calculated.
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