Barking and Dagenham Budget Consultation 2026-27

This consultation has closed.

Have your say on our 2026/27 budget

We’ve launched our annual budget survey, and we want to hear from you. As local taxpayers, your views help shape how we set our budget and which services to prioritise.

The last few years have had their fair share of challenges. We’ve been working hard to make the borough better which means improving local services and supporting the community where we can make a difference.

We’re continuing to punch above our weight, bringing more investment to B&D - we’ve secured valuable partnerships which are providing millions of pounds of heritage funding and a dentistry school in Barking which will open next year and provide free care for 5,000 local people.

And we’re proud to have achieved an outstanding Quality Care Commission rating for the adult social care we provide to residents.

We’ve kept Dagenham police station open and strengthened community safety. Our new Clean campaign is tackling litter with local volunteers, and we’ve planted nearly 45,000 trees while expanding cycle paths to create a healthier, greener borough.

In August we celebrated record GCSE and A-Level results, with more young people progressing to top universities, prestigious apprenticeships, and new youth services opening across the borough.

This is despite huge cuts to our budget, spiralling costs and increasing demand for services. But we remain determined to do more to make B&D better.

We’re focused on what matters most to you: tackling inequality, improving services, and creating the conditions for people to thrive.

It Starts Here – with our streets, our schools, our neighbourhoods – and with you telling us what matters most, helping shape the future of Barking and Dagenham.

The scale of the challenge

Councils across the country are facing unprecedented financial pressures, driven by rising demand for services and soaring costs, especially in social care. Barking and Dagenham is no exception.

Today, we receive just 40% of the funding we had a decade ago – for every £1 then, we now have just 66p. Only 18% of our funding comes from Council Tax, meaning we rely heavily on central government support. At the same time, demand for services is growing as residents face hardship following the cost of living crisis.

Our population has grown by 31,500 in the last 10 years, and one in four residents is under 16. This, combined with inflation, has pushed up costs for essential services – particularly adult and children’s care, which accounts for around £7 of every £10 we spend.

Barking and Dagenham deserves its fair share of resources, and we’re working closely with Government to make that happen. While we push for fairer funding, we’re making every penny count to protect the services you rely on.

What we’re doing

We already run an efficient, low-cost council. Since 2010, we’ve saved around £200m, and we’re finding more. By 2028/29 we need to make a further £31.6m in savings.

We’re taking tough but necessary steps to control spending. We’re also innovating - finding better, lower-cost ways to deliver services, using digital tools to improve customer experience, and getting the best value from our assets and contracts.

We know we can’t do this alone. That’s why we’re working with our key partners and community, voluntary and faith organisations to jointly tackle the root causes preventing our residents from living the best life possible.

Our priority is to protect frontline services and support those who need us most. But with reduced resources, some difficult decisions will be unavoidable.

Supporting you

We know times are tough, and we’re committed to standing by those who need us most.

Our new Anti-Poverty Strategy is tackling the deep-rooted challenges facing families in Barking and Dagenham, with targeted initiatives to ease pressure and create opportunities. This includes helping new parents with essential costs and supporting young people leaving care to build financial stability.

Through our Household Support Fund, we’ve provided vital help during difficult times – from tackling food poverty and funding free meals to offering emergency vouchers and essentials for those most in need. We’ve also supported youth programmes with training and paid roles, and worked with community organisations to make sure help reaches those who need it most.

And we’re helping people into work - over 10,000 residents in recent years alongside providing training and new skills for 17,000 more people.

Council Tax

To help ease budget pressures, we’re considering a Council Tax increase of 4.99% next year – a 2.99% general increase plus 2% ringfenced for Social Care. For an average Band D property, this means around £1.54 extra per week (excluding the GLA element).

We know this is challenging, and it’s never a decision we take lightly. But without it, we can’t keep the essential services running - like street cleaning, waste collection, libraries and care for the most vulnerable.

Have your say

Your feedback matters. Tell us which services are most important to you so we can prioritise accordingly. We’ll do everything we can to protect what residents value most and make savings that minimise impact.

Please make sure you have your say before the consultation closes on Friday 9 January 2026.

Have your say on our 2026/27 budget

We’ve launched our annual budget survey, and we want to hear from you. As local taxpayers, your views help shape how we set our budget and which services to prioritise.

The last few years have had their fair share of challenges. We’ve been working hard to make the borough better which means improving local services and supporting the community where we can make a difference.

We’re continuing to punch above our weight, bringing more investment to B&D - we’ve secured valuable partnerships which are providing millions of pounds of heritage funding and a dentistry school in Barking which will open next year and provide free care for 5,000 local people.

And we’re proud to have achieved an outstanding Quality Care Commission rating for the adult social care we provide to residents.

We’ve kept Dagenham police station open and strengthened community safety. Our new Clean campaign is tackling litter with local volunteers, and we’ve planted nearly 45,000 trees while expanding cycle paths to create a healthier, greener borough.

In August we celebrated record GCSE and A-Level results, with more young people progressing to top universities, prestigious apprenticeships, and new youth services opening across the borough.

This is despite huge cuts to our budget, spiralling costs and increasing demand for services. But we remain determined to do more to make B&D better.

We’re focused on what matters most to you: tackling inequality, improving services, and creating the conditions for people to thrive.

It Starts Here – with our streets, our schools, our neighbourhoods – and with you telling us what matters most, helping shape the future of Barking and Dagenham.

The scale of the challenge

Councils across the country are facing unprecedented financial pressures, driven by rising demand for services and soaring costs, especially in social care. Barking and Dagenham is no exception.

Today, we receive just 40% of the funding we had a decade ago – for every £1 then, we now have just 66p. Only 18% of our funding comes from Council Tax, meaning we rely heavily on central government support. At the same time, demand for services is growing as residents face hardship following the cost of living crisis.

Our population has grown by 31,500 in the last 10 years, and one in four residents is under 16. This, combined with inflation, has pushed up costs for essential services – particularly adult and children’s care, which accounts for around £7 of every £10 we spend.

Barking and Dagenham deserves its fair share of resources, and we’re working closely with Government to make that happen. While we push for fairer funding, we’re making every penny count to protect the services you rely on.

What we’re doing

We already run an efficient, low-cost council. Since 2010, we’ve saved around £200m, and we’re finding more. By 2028/29 we need to make a further £31.6m in savings.

We’re taking tough but necessary steps to control spending. We’re also innovating - finding better, lower-cost ways to deliver services, using digital tools to improve customer experience, and getting the best value from our assets and contracts.

We know we can’t do this alone. That’s why we’re working with our key partners and community, voluntary and faith organisations to jointly tackle the root causes preventing our residents from living the best life possible.

Our priority is to protect frontline services and support those who need us most. But with reduced resources, some difficult decisions will be unavoidable.

Supporting you

We know times are tough, and we’re committed to standing by those who need us most.

Our new Anti-Poverty Strategy is tackling the deep-rooted challenges facing families in Barking and Dagenham, with targeted initiatives to ease pressure and create opportunities. This includes helping new parents with essential costs and supporting young people leaving care to build financial stability.

Through our Household Support Fund, we’ve provided vital help during difficult times – from tackling food poverty and funding free meals to offering emergency vouchers and essentials for those most in need. We’ve also supported youth programmes with training and paid roles, and worked with community organisations to make sure help reaches those who need it most.

And we’re helping people into work - over 10,000 residents in recent years alongside providing training and new skills for 17,000 more people.

Council Tax

To help ease budget pressures, we’re considering a Council Tax increase of 4.99% next year – a 2.99% general increase plus 2% ringfenced for Social Care. For an average Band D property, this means around £1.54 extra per week (excluding the GLA element).

We know this is challenging, and it’s never a decision we take lightly. But without it, we can’t keep the essential services running - like street cleaning, waste collection, libraries and care for the most vulnerable.

Have your say

Your feedback matters. Tell us which services are most important to you so we can prioritise accordingly. We’ll do everything we can to protect what residents value most and make savings that minimise impact.

Please make sure you have your say before the consultation closes on Friday 9 January 2026.