Budgets in plain words: United Kingdom.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · Canada · Australia.

Moraph for Good · Voice

Budgets in plain words: United Kingdom

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/budgets-in-plain-words

A local budget shows what your local government plans to spend, and where the money comes from. It is public, and residents can usually comment before it is adopted.

Find it

Look on your local government’s website, under finance, budget or meetings.
Ask at a library or public office for a printed copy.
Staff can usually tell you where to find a line you are looking for.

Read it

Start with the summary: money in, money out.
Compare this year with last year. What grew, shrank or is new?
Look up only the services you care about in the detail pages.

Have a say

Find the budget calendar: proposal, hearings or consultation, vote.
Comment early, while the proposal can still change.
Name the line, say how it affects you, and say what you would like to happen.

Stay with official sources

Use the published budget and meeting papers, not summaries shared online.
Ask staff if a line is unclear; that is part of their job.

In the United Kingdom

Find your council. GOV.UK has a postcode search that finds the website of your local council, where budgets and meeting papers are published.
Meeting papers in England. In England, every council must publish when key decisions will be taken, the papers for meetings at least 5 working days beforehand, and minutes showing the decisions made. You can attend most council meetings.
Spending and accounts in England. Many councils show how they spend their budget, including payments and contracts over £500. Every year, councils must open their detailed accounts to the public for 30 working days, and must publish when you can check them.
Council Tax. Your Council Tax depends on your home’s valuation band and how much your local council charges for that band. You may be able to get a discount, exemption or Council Tax Reduction.

Official places to check:

GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/find-local-council
GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/understand-how-your-council-works/decision-making
GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/understand-how-your-council-works/spending-and-accounts
GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/council-tax

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 19 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/budgets-in-plain-words