COVID-19, social care reform and the finances of English councils

The upcoming Spending Review follows a decade of austerity and unprecedented new financial pressures and service responsibilities for councils as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has pushed up councils’ spending and reduced their local revenues, with the UK and devolved governments having to provide substantial top-ups to councils’ grant funding over the last 18 months to help them weather this storm.

IFS economist Kate Ogden examines what’s happened and what’s next for councils in England.

This video is part of the IFS Green Budget. Funded by the Nuffield Foundation and in partnership with Citi.