Your say on our budget

From maintaining roads and supporting libraries to protecting vulnerable children, helping older people live independently and providing support for people with complex needs, our services make a difference to communities across Lancashire every day.

The council's budget is funded mainly through council tax, government grants and business rates. As we begin planning for next year, it is important that we understand the issues that matter most to residents.

Your feedback will help inform the budget proposals considered by county councillors and ensure that future spending reflects local priorities.

Read more about the budget below and then complete the questionnaire to give us your views.

For more information or support on our budget consultation or to request alternative formats please email us on budgetconsultation@lancashire.gov.uk

How we spend our money

Where every £100 is spent

Every year, Lancashire County Council spends around £2.2 billion delivering services for 1.3 million residents.

This is how it breaks down:

Around 73% of council spending supports approximately 5% of Lancashire's population who require care, protection, specialist support or additional help to access education and daily life. In more detail:

• £900 million is spent supporting 23,000 adults with disabilities, mental health needs and age-related care needs, an average of around £39,000 per person each year.

• £237 million is spent on Children's Social Care, including supporting 1,774 children in care, where the average cost of care is around £75,000 per child each year.

• £12.4 million is invested in Early Help services, supporting 50,227 children and families to access help at an earlier stage and reduce the need for more intensive interventions.

• £125 million is spent helping children and young people access education, including support for around 35,000 children and young people with SEND.

• £88 million is spent on specialist transport, including helping adults access day services and providing home-to-school transport for more than 7,600 children and young people with SEND, at an average cost of around £8,000 per child each year.

These services make up a significant proportion of our spending and help protect, care for and support some of Lancashire's most vulnerable residents.

At the same time, we continue to provide the everyday services that residents rely on, including:

• Keeping Lancashire moving - £86m maintaining roads, pavements and transport infrastructure

• Improving health and wellbeing - £72m delivering public health services for Lancashire residents

• Protecting our environment - £27m managing waste and recycling services

• Supporting communities - £14m funding libraries, culture and local community services

• Growing the local economy – Alongside significant grant funding, we spend £1m supporting jobs, investment and economic development

Lancashire County Council spends around £2.2 billion delivering services for residents during the year.

However, not all of this spending is funded through council tax and government funding.

Many services receive income from other sources, including fees and charges, contributions from health partners, grants for specific services and payments from people who use certain services.

After taking account of this income, the amount that must be funded through council tax, business rates and government funding is around £1.3 billion. This is known as the council's net budget.

*  Adult Social Care Precept £14m
Other income £13m

Council tax is the largest single source of funding for Lancashire County Council, providing more than half of the money used to fund local services.

We recognise that any increase in council tax affects household budgets. At the same time, council tax helps fund the services that residents rely on every day, from maintaining roads and supporting libraries to providing care and support for vulnerable children and adults.

Every 1% increase in council tax raises around £7.7 million for local services. For a Band D property, this is equivalent to around £18 per year, or approximately £1.50 per month.

Council tax decisions are therefore important. They help determine how much funding is available to support services, while balancing the need to keep council tax as affordable as possible for residents.

The total amount of council tax is made up of a General Council tax amount to help fund all council services, plus an Adult Social Care Precept specifically to help fund adult social care. The government has set a cap at 3% for the General Council Tax and a further cap at 2% for the Adult Social Care Precept.

More information on council tax

The council faces increasing demand for services, particularly in adult social care, children's services and support for children and young people with SEND. At the same time, the cost of providing services continues to rise, including the cost of care, transport, energy and contracts.

Even if council tax increased by the maximum amount currently permitted (4.99%), the council would still need to identify around £79 million of savings and efficiencies to balance next year's budget.

We are committed to making the best possible use of public money. This includes improving services, reducing unnecessary costs, using technology more effectively and finding new ways of working that provide better value for residents.

This also means making careful decisions about how limited resources are used. Each year, the council must balance three important priorities:

• Supporting vulnerable residents who need care and protection.

• Keeping council tax as affordable as possible.

• Maintaining the services and infrastructure that residents rely on every day.

Your feedback will help us understand what matters most to residents and inform the budget proposals considered by county councillors as they make decisions about future spending priorities.

If any proposals lead to major changes in services, we’ll hold further engagement before they’re started. Visit our current consultations.

We’re asking for your views on the budget, and we will share what you've told us once the consultation has closed and we've analysed the information.

Have your say by completing the questionnaire

Following our review of the consultation responses, budget proposals will be finalised in the new year.

For more information or support on our budget consultation please email us on budgetconsultation@lancashire.gov.uk

• Survey opens:  19 October 2026

• Survey closes: 30 November 2026

• Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee meeting: 20 January 2027

• Cabinet meeting to agree the draft budget proposals: 4 February 2027

• Budget proposals considered at Full Council: 25 February 2027