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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of district councils to withstand significant losses of income from business rates, council tax, and fees and charges for services including planning charges, parking charges and those for leisure services; and (1) how many, and (2) which, district councils they have assessed as being in danger of being unable to continue to discharge their statutory functions.

We announced, on 18 April, an additional £1.6 billion of funding to support councils delivering essential frontline services, taking the total to over £3.2 billion of additional funding. This funding means that almost 70% of district councils will have received £1 million or more in support to manage Covid-19 income pressures.

We are now focused on gathering the best possible information and data from councils on income and expenditure figures. We are doing this through our ongoing local authority Covid-19 financial monitoring survey.

The returns collected will refine our assessment of income losses across the sector. We are also engaging with councils and their representatives, local Leaders and Chief Executives, and organisations including the District Councils Network.

We will continue to work with local government, including district councils, over the coming weeks to ensure they are managing as the pandemic progresses.