1 in 10 England Councils at Risk of Effective Bankruptcy Amid Spiralling Costs

A survey of England’s 41 councils showed that high inflation and increased demand for services could lead to hundreds of millions in overspending.

People queue for a bakery in Birmingham city centre in central England on the morning of Mar. 21, 2020. Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

England’s largest councils face overspending their budgets by over £600 million this year, with one in ten councils at risk of effective bankruptcy, new analysis showed.

A survey of England’s 41 county and unitary councils revealed a bleak financial outlook for local authorities.