Net current expenditure on services:

• Local authorities’ total net current service expenditure was £134.2 billion in 2024-25. In real terms, this was £5.4 billion (4.2%) higher than in 2023-24.

• Total Service Expenditure excluding education totalled £89.9 billion in 2024-25. This was £2.6 billion (2.9%) higher in real terms compared to 2023-24.

• The categories of services with the largest changes in net current expenditure compared to 2023-24 were:
  • Education services: increased by £2.9 billion (+6.9%) in real terms to £44.3 billion.
  • Adult Social Care: increased by £803 million (+3.3%) in real terms to £25.3 billion.
  • Children’s Social Care: increased by £297 million (+2.0%) in real terms to £15.5 billion.
  • Housing services (excluding Housing Revenue Account): increased by £367 million (+12.6%) in real terms to £3.3 billion. This was due to an increase in net current expenditure on homelessness services, which increased by £397 million (+22.4%) in real terms to £2.2 billion. Gross expenditure on homelessness services (i.e. before income such as housing benefit and other contributions are accounted for) increased by £544 million in real terms to £3.7 billion.

Read the full report here.