UK Government doubles funding for Devolved Administrations to tackle Covid
The UK Government has today doubled the amount of additional funding available for the governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to tackle Covid.
The Devolved Administrations can now spend an additional £860 million, increased from the initial £430 million announced earlier this week.
The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has confirmed this increased funding following discussions with the Devolved Administrations. This will continue to ensure the Devolved Administrations can take the Covid precautions they feel are necessary to keep people safe.
The additional amounts now being provided to each government on top of their Autumn Budget 2021 funding are:
- Scottish Government - £440 million
- Welsh Government - £270 million
- Northern Ireland Executive - £150 million
These amounts will continue to be kept under review
These are additional amounts on top of the combined £77.6 billion confirmed for this year at the Autumn Budget 2021. It means that the Devolved Administrations have the certainty they requested to spend additional funding now rather than waiting for Supplementary Estimates in the new year.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:
Following discussions with the Devolved Administrations, we are now doubling the additional funding available.
We will continue to listen to and work with the Devolved Administrations in the face of this serious health crisis to ensure we’re getting the booster to people all over the UK and that people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are supported.
Further information:
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Any changes to departments’ funding are confirmed at the end of the financial year through the Supplementary Estimates process. This process usually concludes in January/February before being voted on in Parliament. At this point the UK Government also confirms any changes to the devolved administrations’ funding. The process we have put in the place this week is giving the Devolved Administrations early certainty to spend additional funding rather than having to wait for the new year.
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The UK Government continues to speak with the Devolved Administrations regularly, including COBRA meetings chaired by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, and calls with the Prime Minister.
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If the amount of funding provided up front to each Devolved Administration is more than the Barnett consequentials confirmed at Supplementary Estimates then the difference will be repaid in 2022-23, or over the Spending Review period if necessary. If the Barnett consequentials are higher than the amount provided up front, the Devolved Administrations will keep the extra funding.
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This funding comes from the UK Reserve.