Local Authority Funding for Youth Services Sees Biggest Annual Cut in Almost a Decade, New YMCA Analysis Reveals

The amount spent on youth services by local authorities in England and Wales has fallen by 10% in a single year, marking the largest annual reduction since 2016–17, according to new analysis published today by YMCA England & Wales.

YMCA’s annual report into youth service funding shows that councils in England spent £419 million on services for young people in 2024–25, a sharp year-on-year fall that comes at a critical moment for national policy on youth provision.

Over the past 14 years, local authority funding for youth services in England has fallen by 76% in real terms, representing a loss of £1.3 billion since 2010–11. In Wales, spending has declined by 29% over the same period, and, comparatively, over the past year, spending has fallen slightly in real terms to £46 million, continuing a long-term downward trend.

The analysis shows that part of the 2024–25 reduction is linked to changes in how councils report expenditure. However, the majority of the decline reflects real financial pressure on councils. While 45% of local authorities increased spending on youth services, the 81 councils that reduced funding did so sharply, with an average cut of 33% and a median reduction of 15%.

YMCA, which has been tracking youth services spend over the past seven years, says this pattern highlights how youth services — which are discretionary rather than statutory — are increasingly being squeezed as councils struggle to meet rising demand and costs across adult social care, housing, children’s services and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The latter two sit within the same education budgets as youth services, but are legal obligations that councils must prioritise, leaving this vital service vulnerable.

The report comes shortly after the Government published its long-awaited National Youth Strategy for England, signalling renewed ambition to rebuild youth provision, strengthen the workforce and take a place-based approach to supporting young people. YMCA has welcomed the direction of travel set out in the strategy, but warns that the scale of funding loss means delivery will be challenging without sustained investment.

Despite modest increases in the number of council-employed youth workers over the past year, workforce capacity also remains far below historic levels. Since 2012–13, England has lost around half of its local authority youth workers, while Wales has seen a 45% reduction. At the same time, the number of local authority-run youth centres in England fell by 11% in a single year, with one in twelve councils now reporting no youth centres at all.

Denise Hatton, Chief Executive, YMCA England & Wales, says the latest figures should serve as a line in the sand for youth services funding.

“Behind these figures are young people losing safe spaces, trusted adults and opportunities to thrive. A 10% cut in a single year shows just how fragile youth services have become, and from a budget already stripped to the bone.

“As an organisation championing youth voice and long advocating for the power of youth services, YMCA welcomes the renewed focus on young people nationally, but unless funding matches ambition, there is real fear that this focus will be in vain and too many young people will continue to fall through the gaps.”