Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) pressures were identified, and (2) criteria used, to inform the distribution of the most recent round of funding to local authorities to help them meet the additional demands on services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 18 April the Government announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding to support councils delivering essential front-line services during COVID-19, with allocations to individual local authorities announced on 28 April.

Since the first wave of COVID-19 funding, the Government has kept funding needs across the country under review, using data collection and our conversations with councils to refine our assessment of pressures.

The allocations are based on the population in each area. This distribution draws on our latest understanding of the distribution of additional COVID-19 pressures, which are likely to be distributed in a way that is different from pre-existing needs. The Government made a commitment to support all councils with the additional cost pressures from the extra work we have asked councils to carry out as a result of the epidemic. We are also aware of the impacts from falling revenues, which affect councils across the country.

The allocations should be seen in the context of the first wave of funding, which was distributed as an immediate response to developing pressures on adult social care. Across both waves, almost 70% of district councils will receive £1 million or more in support, whilst over 90% of the total will go to authorities with responsibility for social care services.