Title

FINANCE

Thousands of council jobs at risk due to funding shortfall, union warns

Tens of thousands of council jobs could be lost unless the Government addresses the current funding shortfall, Unison has warned.

Tens of thousands of council jobs could be lost unless the Government addresses the current funding shortfall, Unison has warned.

The trade union has analysed the impact of the £10bn 'fundign gap' for 2020/21, which amounts to a 21% reduction in spending compared to the previous financial year.

It found that, if social care and public health were protected from funding cuts, every other council service would see cuts of 54%.

This could could lead to the loss of 51,000 children's social workers, 141,000 adult care workers and almost 46,000 refuse collectors, according to the research.

Unison head of local government, Jon Richards, said: 'Local authorities are the key to every community, with staff delivering vital services. Local government must have the money it needs, especially as demands on local services are likely to rise.

'The money pledged by ministers so far is a drop in the ocean. Councils need the full support of government if communities are to avoid serious harm.'

FINANCE

Can council working relationships survive an extreme political shift?

By Blair McPherson | 30 October 2025

Blair McPherson looks at what happens to relationships between officers and members when an extreme party gains power.

FINANCE

Adding up the price of local government interventions

By Dan Peters | 30 October 2025

As more councils in intervention increases, the price tag for commissioners is skyrocketing. Dan Peters crunches the numbers and commissioner Gavin Jones exp...

FINANCE

Attracting young talent to public sector careers

By Manny Sandhu | 29 October 2025

Manny Sandhu shares how a new pilot campaign – unveiled at the WMJobs Expo 2025 – is energising young people to explore careers in local government, showing ...

FINANCE

Late change to fair funding review expected

By Dan Peters | 29 October 2025

Urban councils are expecting a ‘perverse’ late change to proposed funding reform they fear would cost them hundreds of millions of pounds.

Popular articles by Laura Sharman