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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
A '''spending review''' or occasionally '''comprehensive spending review''' is a governmental process in the [[United Kingdom]] carried out by [[HM Treasury]] to set firm expenditure limits and, through public service agreements, define the key improvements that the public can expect from these resources.<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20071204130420/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Spending_Review/spend_index.cfm Spending Reviews] HM Treasury website in the UK Government Web Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013</ref>
A '''spending review''', or occasionally a '''comprehensive spending review''', is a governmental process in the [[United Kingdom]] carried out by [[HM Treasury]] to set firm expenditure limits and, through public service agreements, define the key improvements that the public can expect from these resources.<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20071204130420/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Spending_Review/spend_index.cfm Spending Reviews] HM Treasury website in the UK Government Web Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013</ref>


Spending reviews typically focus upon one or several aspects of public spending while comprehensive spending reviews focus upon each government department's spending requirements from a zero base (i.e. without reference to past plans or, initially, current expenditure). The latter are named after the year in which they are announced – thus ''CSR07'' (completed in October 2007) applies to financial years 2008–2011.
Spending reviews typically focus upon one or several aspects of public spending while comprehensive spending reviews focus upon each government department's spending requirements from a zero base (i.e. without reference to past plans or, initially, current expenditure). The latter are named after the year in which they are announced – thus ''CSR07'' (completed in October 2007) applies to financial years 2008–2011.


Other developed countries have similar review processes, e.g. [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]], [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]],<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=GOV/PGC/SBO(2013)6&doclanguage=en|title = OECD journal, SPENDING REVIEWS}}</ref> [[Italy]], [[Ireland]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.per.gov.ie/comprehensive-review-of-expenditure/comprehensive-expenditure-report-2012-2014/|title=– Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012 – 2014|website=www.per.gov.ie}}</ref> and [[France]]. France conducted [[French General Review of Public Policies|its first comprehensive spending review]] (called in French "''la Revue Générale des Politiques Publiques''") in 2008. [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]] have been carrying out spending reviews since 1981.
Other developed countries have similar review processes, e.g. [[Canada]], [[New Zealand]], [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]],<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=GOV/PGC/SBO(2013)6&doclanguage=en|title = OECD journal, SPENDING REVIEWS}}</ref> [[Italy]], [[Ireland]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.per.gov.ie/comprehensive-review-of-expenditure/comprehensive-expenditure-report-2012-2014/|title= Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012 – 2014|website=www.per.gov.ie}}</ref> and [[France]]. France conducted [[French General Review of Public Policies|its first comprehensive spending review]] (called in French "''la Révision Générale des Politiques Publiques''") in 2008. [[Netherlands|The Netherlands]] have been carrying out spending reviews since 1981.


As a consequence of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], the 2020 review covered just a one-year period in contrast to previous years. The 2021 spending review was subsumed into the [[October 2021 United Kingdom budget|October 2021 budget]].
The next spending review was announced on 21 October 2020 and will take place on 25 November 2020. In contrast to previous years this review will cover a one-year period.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spending Review to conclude late November|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/spending-review-to-conclude-late-november|access-date=2020-10-29|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref>

⚫
==2002 Spending Review==
The 2002 Spending Review (SR02) set a target for expanding the role of [[voluntary sector]] organisations in the provision of public services, anticipating growth by 5% in the period to 2005-06.<ref>House of Commons [[Public Administration Select Committee]], [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubadm/112/112.pdf Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality: Eleventh Report of Session 2007–08], accessed 31 October 2022</ref>


==2007 Comprehensive Spending Review==
==2007 Comprehensive Spending Review==
The UK's 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review included three significant changes. The first was that it represented the first test of the capacity of the Spending Review process to plan and deliver a discretionary fiscal consolidation in the UK. The previous four Spending Reviews took place during a period of steady public growth in the economy from 37% in 1999–00 to 42% by 2007–08. As both the UK's then fiscal rules (the Golden rule and the sustainable investment rule) began to bite{{vague|date=October 2010}}{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}, the UK government desired to halve the real rate of growth in public spending from 4% per annum over the last decade to 2% per annum over the next three years – a 0.5% below than the trend rate of growth of the economy. A second noteworthy development in the 2007 CSR was a marked extension in the certainty that the UK system provided to public sector managers about their future budgets. Finally, CSR07 saw the UK's public service 110 largely departmental-based Public Service Agreements consolidated into 30 inter-departmental agreements.
The UK's 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR07) included three significant changes. The first was that it represented the first test of the capacity of the Spending Review process to plan and deliver a discretionary fiscal consolidation in the UK. The previous four Spending Reviews had taken place during periods of steady public growth in the economy from 37% in 1999–00 to 42% by 2007–08. As both the UK's then fiscal rules (the "[[Golden Rule (fiscal policy)|Golden Rule]]" and the [[sustainable investment rule]]) began to bite,{{vague|date=October 2010}}{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} the UK government desired to halve the real rate of growth in public spending from 4% per annum over the last decade to 2% per annum over the next three years – a 0.5% below than the trend rate of growth of the economy. A second noteworthy development in the 2007 CSR was a marked extension in the certainty that the UK system provided to public sector managers about their future budgets. Finally, CSR07 saw the UK's public service 110 largely departmental-based Public Service Agreements consolidated into 30 inter-departmental agreements. The review aimed to achieve savings of £35 billion.<ref>House of Commons, Committee of Public Accounts, [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmpubacc/440/44003.htm Progress with VFM savings and lessons for cost reduction programmes]: Summary, HC440, published on 4 November 2010, accessed 19 February 2024</ref>


During 2009, the [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]] undertook a series of reviews of departmentally-reported CSR07 [[value for money]] savings.<ref>National Audit Office, [https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/independent-reviews-of-reported-csr07-value-for-money-savings/ Independent Reviews of reported CSR07 Value for Money savings], published 16 December 2009, accessed 13 December 2023</ref>
⚫
{{anchor|2010 Spending Review}}


==2010 Spending Review==
==2010 Spending Review==
{{David Cameron sidebar}}
A spending review for the years 2011/12 through to 2014/15 was announced by the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition government]]. This review was driven by a desire to reduce government spending in order to cut the [[Deficit spending|budget deficit]].<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20071204130420/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Spending_Review/spend_index.cfm An introduction to Spending Review] HM Treasury website in the UK Government Web Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2014</ref>
A spending review for the years 2011/12 through to 2014/15 was announced by the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition government]]. This review was driven by a desire to reduce government spending in order to cut the [[Deficit spending|budget deficit]].<ref>[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20071204130420/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Spending_Review/spend_index.cfm An introduction to Spending Review] HM Treasury website in the UK Government Web Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2014</ref>


[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[George Osborne]] announced the details of the spending review on 20 October 2010.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11585312 | work=BBC News | title=Spending Review: Reaction to Osborne statement | date=20 October 2010|access-date=9 March 2013}}</ref> The cuts were described as the biggest since World War II.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11579979|title=Spending Review 2010|publisher=BBC News|access-date=21 October 2010|date=20 October 2010}}</ref> The review led to an £81 billion cut in public spending in the following 4 years of the parliament, with average departmental cuts of 19%. In addition major changes in welfare were announced including £7 billion of extra welfare cuts, changes to incapacity benefit, housing benefit and tax credits and a rise in the state pension age to 66 from 2020.<ref name="BBC"/> Public sector employees will face a £3.5 billion increase in public pension contributions.
[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[George Osborne]] announced the details of the spending review on 20 October 2010.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11585312 | work=BBC News | title=Spending Review: Reaction to Osborne statement | date=20 October 2010|access-date=9 March 2013}}</ref> The cuts were described as the biggest since World War II.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11579979|title=Spending Review 2010|publisher=BBC News|access-date=21 October 2010|date=20 October 2010}}</ref> The review led to an £81 billion cut in public spending in the following 4 years of the parliament, with average departmental cuts of 19%. In addition major changes in welfare were announced including £7 billion of extra welfare cuts, changes to incapacity benefit, housing benefit and tax credits and a rise in the state pension age to 66 from 2020.<ref name="BBC"/> Public sector employees would face a £3.5 billion increase in public pension contributions.


The [[Home Office]] faced cuts of 25%,<ref name="Guardian Review"/> local councils would face a yearly 7% cut in funding from central government each year until 2014.<ref name="Guardian Review"/> The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] faced cuts of around 8%. In addition many other public sector bodies had cuts to their funding.<ref name="Guardian Review"/> Although not part of government the [[BBC]] had its licence fee frozen for 6 years and took on the funding of the [[BBC World Service]], [[BBC Monitoring]] and [[S4C]].<ref name="Guardian Review"/>
The [[Home Office]] faced cuts of 25%,<ref name="Guardian Review"/> local councils would face a yearly 7% cut in funding from central government each year until 2014.<ref name="Guardian Review"/> The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] faced cuts of around 8%. DEFRA withdrew funding support from seven waste management [[Private finance initiative|PFI]] projects where least progress had been made with contract [[procurement]] and obtaining [[Planning permission in the United Kingdom|planning permission]],<ref>Mann, N., [https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/defra-reveals-rationale-for-waste-pfi-funding-cuts/ Defra reveals rationale for waste PFI funding cuts], ''letsrecycle.com'', published 6 December 2010, accessed 20 January 2024</ref> on the basis that the UK’s 2020 [[landfill diversion]] targets set by the EU could still be met without the curtailed projects.<ref>[[Leicestershire County Council]], [https://democracy.leics.gov.uk/documents/s54869/K%20procurement%20long%20term%20waste.pdf Procurement of Long-Term Waste Treatment Facilities: Report of the Director of Environment and Transport. Part A], 26 July 2011, accessed 5 February 2024</ref> The government argued that the withdrawal of funding credits reflected "reasonable assumptions",<ref>Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-pfi-programme Changes to PFI Programme], published 26 October 2010, accessed 5 February 2024</ref> and a legal challenge by [[Cheshire East Council|Cheshire East]] and [[Cheshire West and Chester Council]]s against the DEFRA decision was unsuccessful.<ref>Landmark Chambers, [https://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/news-and-cases/r-on-the-application-of-cheshire-east-borough-council-cheshire-west-and-chester-borough-council-v-secretary-of-state-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs-and-others-2011-ewhc-1975-admin R (on the Application of Cheshire East Borough Council Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council) v Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and others <nowiki>[</nowiki>2011<nowiki>]</nowiki> EWHC 1975 (Admin)], published 26 July 2011, accessed 5 February 2024</ref> In addition many other public sector bodies saw cuts to their funding.<ref name="Guardian Review"/> Although not part of government, the [[BBC]] had its [[licence fee]] frozen for 6 years and took on the funding of the [[BBC World Service]], [[BBC Monitoring]] and [[S4C]].<ref name="Guardian Review"/>

The [[Office for Budget Responsibility]] predicted that the spending review led to a loss of about 490,000 public sector jobs by 2015.<ref name="Guardian Review">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/oct/20/spending-review-2010-key-points|title=Spending review 2010:key points at a glance|work=Guardian|access-date=21 October 2010|date=20 October 2010|location=London}}</ref>
The [[National Health Service|NHS]] saw a 0.4% increase in spending in real terms over the following 4 years.<ref name="Guardian Review"/>
The [[Office for Budget Responsibility]] predicted that the spending review led to a loss of about 490,000 public sector jobs by 2015.<ref name="Guardian Review">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/oct/20/spending-review-2010-key-points|title=Spending review 2010:key points at a glance|work=Guardian|access-date=21 October 2010|date=20 October 2010|location=London}}</ref> The [[National Health Service|NHS]] saw a 0.4% increase in spending in real terms over the following 4 years.<ref name="Guardian Review"/>


A £200 million payment was announced to compensate savers in the collapsed savings society [[Presbyterian Mutual]].<ref>[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bb7e9f28-dc45-11df-a9a4-00144feabdc0.html £200m pledged for collapsed N Irish mutual]. Retrieved 9 March 2013</ref>
A £200 million payment was announced to compensate savers in the collapsed savings society [[Presbyterian Mutual]].<ref>[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bb7e9f28-dc45-11df-a9a4-00144feabdc0.html £200m pledged for collapsed N Irish mutual]. Retrieved 9 March 2013</ref>


A report published in late 2013 by Trust for London and the London School of Economics and Political Science estimated that local government budgets in London had taken a 33% real terms cut in central government funding for local government between 2009/10 and 2013/14.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/research/publication/new-report-impact-of-local-government-spending-cuts-in-london/|title=Hard Times, New Directions, The Impact of the Local Government Spending Cuts in London|work=trustford london.org.uk}}</ref>
A report published in late 2013 by Trust for London and the London School of Economics and Political Science estimated that local government budgets in London had taken a 33% real terms cut in central government funding for local government between 2009/10 and 2013/14.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/research/publication/new-report-impact-of-local-government-spending-cuts-in-london/|title=Hard Times, New Directions, The Impact of the Local Government Spending Cuts in London|work=trustford london.org.uk}}</ref>

==2015 Spending Review==
==2015 Spending Review==
A spending review for the years 2016–17 to 2020-21 was announced by chancellor [[George Osborne]] alongside an [[Spring Statement|Autumn Statement]] on 25 November 2015.
A spending review for the years 2016–17 to 2020-21 was announced by chancellor [[George Osborne]] alongside an [[Spring Statement|Autumn Statement]] on 25 November 2015.

==2020 Spending Review==
==2020 Spending Review==
Chancellor [[Rishi Sunak]] delivered his first spending review on 25 November 2020. In contrast to previous years, and as a consequence of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], the review covered a one-year period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.<ref name=guardian-20201125>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/25/spending-review-2020-rishi-sunak-key-points |title=Spending review 2020: Rishi Sunak's key points at a glance |last1=Partington |first1=Richard |last2=Walker |first2=Peter |newspaper=The Guardian |date=25 November 2020 |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref><ref name=gov-20201125>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/spending-review-2020 |title=Spending Review 2020 |website=HM Treasury |date=25 November 2020 |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref>
Chancellor [[Rishi Sunak]] delivered his first spending review on 25 November 2020. In contrast to previous years, and as a consequence of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]], the review covered a one-year period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.<ref name=guardian-20201125>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/25/spending-review-2020-rishi-sunak-key-points |title=Spending review 2020: Rishi Sunak's key points at a glance |last1=Partington |first1=Richard |last2=Walker |first2=Peter |newspaper=The Guardian |date=25 November 2020 |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref><ref name=gov-20201125>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/spending-review-2020 |title=Spending Review 2020 |website=HM Treasury |date=25 November 2020 |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref>

==2021 Spending Review==
The 2021 spending review (SR21) was subsumed into the [[October 2021 United Kingdom budget|October 2021 budget]].<ref>BBC News, [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55765868 Budget 2021: What is it and when will it happen?], published 26 October 2021, accessed 18 November 2022</ref> SR21 set departmental resource and capital budgets from 2022-23 to 2024-25 and covered the [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved administrations]]' block grants for the same period of time.<ref>HM Treasury, [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2021-launch-letter Spending Review 2021 launch letter], published 7 September 2021, accessed 18 November 2022</ref> Chancellor [[Jeremy Hunt]]'s [[November 2022 United Kingdom autumn statement|Autumn Statement of 17 November 2022]] referred to the maintenance of committed budgets "for the remaining two years of this Spending Review",<ref>Hunt, J., [https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-autumn-statement-2022-speech The Autumn Statement 2022 speech], published 17 November 2022, accessed 18 November 2022</ref> and similarly his March 2024 budget speech was described as "sticking to the plan".<ref>HM Treasury, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-delivers-lower-taxes-more-investment-and-better-public-services-in-budget-for-long-term-growth Chancellor delivers lower taxes, more investment and better public services in 'Budget for Long Term Growth'], published 6 March 2024, accessed 10 June 2024</ref>

==2024 Spending Review==
On 29 July 2024, and after [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] had won the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]], Chancellor [[Rachel Reeves]] launched a new multi-year spending review, noting that the Conservative government had not undertaken a spending review since 2001 (above) and that "unfunded" and "undisclosed" overspending of £21.9bn had created a need to make "a necessary and urgent decision" on government expenditure. She announced that spending reviews would now take place in alternating years, in each case with a minimum planning horizon looking three years ahead.<ref>Reeves, R., [https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chancellor-statement-on-public-spending-inheritance Oral statement to Parliament: Chancellor statement on public spending inheritance], published on 29 July 2024, accessed on November 2024</ref> The first phase of the Spending Review set the budgets for government departments for 2024-25 and 2025-26, while a second phase of the review, set to make further "difficult choices", is scheduled for completion in spring 2025.<ref>Reeves, R., [https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/autumn-budget-2024-speech Autumn Budget 2024 speech], published on 30 October 2024, accessed on 8 November 2024</ref>

Among the decisions Reeves referred to in July 2024 were to remove [[winter fuel payment]]s from pensioners not receiving [[pension credit]] (roughly around 10 million people), and to cancel several road and rail infrastructure projects. Shadow Chancellor [[Jeremy Hunt]] dismissed Reeves' claims as "spurious", and argued that details of all government spending had been released by the [[Office for Budget Responsibility]].<ref>{{Cite news |first1=Mitchell |last1=Labiak |first2=Faisal |last2=Islam |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx02zdd92zdo |title=Winter fuel payments scrapped for millions of pensioners |date=29 July 2024 |work=BBC News |access-date=29 July 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1r7d76vdlo |title=Rachel Reeves's spending audit at-a-glance |date=29 July 2024 |work=BBC News |access-date=29 July 2024 }}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Multiannual Financial Framework]]
*[[Multiannual Financial Framework]]

==References==
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
*Justin Tyson [http://blog-pfm.imf.org/pfmblog/2007/11/implementing-a-.html Implementing a 'Spending Review' -- Italy Seeks to Improve the Quality of Public Expenditure] International Monetary Fund, 12 November 2007
*Justin Tyson [http://blog-pfm.imf.org/pfmblog/2007/11/implementing-a-.html Implementing a 'Spending Review' -- Italy Seeks to Improve the Quality of Public Expenditure], International Monetary Fund, 12 November 2007
*Richard Hughes [http://blog-pfm.imf.org/pfmblog/2008/05/united-kingdom.html#more United Kingdom Concludes Its Fifth Multi-Annual Spending Round] International Monetary Fund, 5 May 2008
*Richard Hughes [http://blog-pfm.imf.org/pfmblog/2008/05/united-kingdom.html#more United Kingdom Concludes Its Fifth Multi-Annual Spending Round] International Monetary Fund, 5 May 2008
*[http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_index.htm HM Treasury - Spending Review 2010]
*[http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_index.htm HM Treasury - Spending Review 2010]

Latest revision as of 21:19, 8 November 2024

A spending review, or occasionally a comprehensive spending review, is a governmental process in the United Kingdom carried out by HM Treasury to set firm expenditure limits and, through public service agreements, define the key improvements that the public can expect from these resources.[1]

Spending reviews typically focus upon one or several aspects of public spending while comprehensive spending reviews focus upon each government department's spending requirements from a zero base (i.e. without reference to past plans or, initially, current expenditure). The latter are named after the year in which they are announced – thus CSR07 (completed in October 2007) applies to financial years 2008–2011.

Other developed countries have similar review processes, e.g. Canada, New Zealand, The Netherlands,[2] Italy, Ireland,[3] and France. France conducted its first comprehensive spending review (called in French "la Révision Générale des Politiques Publiques") in 2008. The Netherlands have been carrying out spending reviews since 1981.

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 review covered just a one-year period in contrast to previous years. The 2021 spending review was subsumed into the October 2021 budget.

2002 Spending Review

[edit]

The 2002 Spending Review (SR02) set a target for expanding the role of voluntary sector organisations in the provision of public services, anticipating growth by 5% in the period to 2005-06.[4]

2007 Comprehensive Spending Review

[edit]

The UK's 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR07) included three significant changes. The first was that it represented the first test of the capacity of the Spending Review process to plan and deliver a discretionary fiscal consolidation in the UK. The previous four Spending Reviews had taken place during periods of steady public growth in the economy from 37% in 1999–00 to 42% by 2007–08. As both the UK's then fiscal rules (the "Golden Rule" and the sustainable investment rule) began to bite,[vague][citation needed] the UK government desired to halve the real rate of growth in public spending from 4% per annum over the last decade to 2% per annum over the next three years – a 0.5% below than the trend rate of growth of the economy. A second noteworthy development in the 2007 CSR was a marked extension in the certainty that the UK system provided to public sector managers about their future budgets. Finally, CSR07 saw the UK's public service 110 largely departmental-based Public Service Agreements consolidated into 30 inter-departmental agreements. The review aimed to achieve savings of £35 billion.[5]

During 2009, the National Audit Office undertook a series of reviews of departmentally-reported CSR07 value for money savings.[6]

2010 Spending Review

[edit]
This article is part of
a series about
David Cameron
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
First ministry and term
(May 2010 – May 2015)
Second ministry and term
(May 2015 – July 2016)
Post-premiership
David Cameron's signature

A spending review for the years 2011/12 through to 2014/15 was announced by the coalition government. This review was driven by a desire to reduce government spending in order to cut the budget deficit.[7]

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced the details of the spending review on 20 October 2010.[8] The cuts were described as the biggest since World War II.[9] The review led to an £81 billion cut in public spending in the following 4 years of the parliament, with average departmental cuts of 19%. In addition major changes in welfare were announced including £7 billion of extra welfare cuts, changes to incapacity benefit, housing benefit and tax credits and a rise in the state pension age to 66 from 2020.[9] Public sector employees would face a £3.5 billion increase in public pension contributions.

The Home Office faced cuts of 25%,[10] local councils would face a yearly 7% cut in funding from central government each year until 2014.[10] The Ministry of Defence faced cuts of around 8%. DEFRA withdrew funding support from seven waste management PFI projects where least progress had been made with contract procurement and obtaining planning permission,[11] on the basis that the UK’s 2020 landfill diversion targets set by the EU could still be met without the curtailed projects.[12] The government argued that the withdrawal of funding credits reflected "reasonable assumptions",[13] and a legal challenge by Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils against the DEFRA decision was unsuccessful.[14] In addition many other public sector bodies saw cuts to their funding.[10] Although not part of government, the BBC had its licence fee frozen for 6 years and took on the funding of the BBC World Service, BBC Monitoring and S4C.[10]

The Office for Budget Responsibility predicted that the spending review led to a loss of about 490,000 public sector jobs by 2015.[10] The NHS saw a 0.4% increase in spending in real terms over the following 4 years.[10]

A £200 million payment was announced to compensate savers in the collapsed savings society Presbyterian Mutual.[15]

A report published in late 2013 by Trust for London and the London School of Economics and Political Science estimated that local government budgets in London had taken a 33% real terms cut in central government funding for local government between 2009/10 and 2013/14.[16]

2015 Spending Review

[edit]

A spending review for the years 2016–17 to 2020-21 was announced by chancellor George Osborne alongside an Autumn Statement on 25 November 2015.

2020 Spending Review

[edit]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered his first spending review on 25 November 2020. In contrast to previous years, and as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the review covered a one-year period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.[17][18]

2021 Spending Review

[edit]

The 2021 spending review (SR21) was subsumed into the October 2021 budget.[19] SR21 set departmental resource and capital budgets from 2022-23 to 2024-25 and covered the devolved administrations' block grants for the same period of time.[20] Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement of 17 November 2022 referred to the maintenance of committed budgets "for the remaining two years of this Spending Review",[21] and similarly his March 2024 budget speech was described as "sticking to the plan".[22]

2024 Spending Review

[edit]

On 29 July 2024, and after Labour had won the 2024 general election, Chancellor Rachel Reeves launched a new multi-year spending review, noting that the Conservative government had not undertaken a spending review since 2001 (above) and that "unfunded" and "undisclosed" overspending of £21.9bn had created a need to make "a necessary and urgent decision" on government expenditure. She announced that spending reviews would now take place in alternating years, in each case with a minimum planning horizon looking three years ahead.[23] The first phase of the Spending Review set the budgets for government departments for 2024-25 and 2025-26, while a second phase of the review, set to make further "difficult choices", is scheduled for completion in spring 2025.[24]

Among the decisions Reeves referred to in July 2024 were to remove winter fuel payments from pensioners not receiving pension credit (roughly around 10 million people), and to cancel several road and rail infrastructure projects. Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt dismissed Reeves' claims as "spurious", and argued that details of all government spending had been released by the Office for Budget Responsibility.[25][26]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Spending Reviews HM Treasury website in the UK Government Web Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013
  2. ^ "OECD journal, SPENDING REVIEWS".
  3. ^ "Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012 – 2014". www.per.gov.ie.
  4. ^ House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, Public Services and the Third Sector: Rhetoric and Reality: Eleventh Report of Session 2007–08, accessed 31 October 2022
  5. ^ House of Commons, Committee of Public Accounts, Progress with VFM savings and lessons for cost reduction programmes: Summary, HC440, published on 4 November 2010, accessed 19 February 2024
  6. ^ National Audit Office, Independent Reviews of reported CSR07 Value for Money savings, published 16 December 2009, accessed 13 December 2023
  7. ^ An introduction to Spending Review HM Treasury website in the UK Government Web Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2014
  8. ^ "Spending Review: Reaction to Osborne statement". BBC News. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
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