Spending on youth services reduced by 73% since 2010
- Wednesday 29 January 2025
Research undertaken by the YMCA finds that since 2010 spending on youth services by councils in England has fallen by 73 per cent since 2010. They argue that this represents a real term cut of £1.2 billion for youth services between 2010/11 and 2023/24 in England and £16.6 million in Wales.
The YMCA research found that one in seven councils in England have no youth centres in their area, either run by themselves or other organisations and Wales had 91 council-run youth centres in 2023/24, 62 per cent fewer than in 2010/11.
The YMCA also found that spending for each 5-17-year-old on youth services in England was just £50.09 in 2023/24, almost half of Wales' per-child spending on this age range, at £97.83.
Between 2012/13 and 2023/24 the number of youth workers fell by a third to 1,662 full-time equivalent roles. Over the same period in Wales their numbers have fallen by almost a half.
YMCA’s report says that over the last 14 years there has been “a hollowing of youth expenditure” and is concerned about continuing council cuts, as local authorities tackle cost pressures around social care and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.
According to the Local Government Association, almost two thirds of councils anticipate cutting support for young people and families.
The government has pledged to improve young people’s access to youth clubs and other youth services through its National Youth Strategy, which is backed with an initial £85mn from government and £100mn through the Dormant Assets Scheme.
Andy Murray, National Officer for the Community, Youth and Not for Profit Sector said: "The past fifteen years has seen the near destruction of youth services provided by the statutory sector, with councils facing huge reductions in their settlements and having to make hard choices about protecting their statutory services, with other non-statutory services, like youth services, losing out and bearing the brunt of such cuts.
"The reality of such under investment and the scale of failure by previous governments to young people is evident on our streets and in the communities in which they live. This research, like much that has come before, shows the very real devastation and impact of austerity and how the decisions made by the previous government have impacted on the life chances of young people.
"The age of austerity has also had a huge impact on our members, with many being made redundant over the past decade resulting in years and years of experience and relationship building with young people being lost.
"Whilst Unite welcomes the new investment committed by government to invest in youth services, the initial commitment recently announced must only be a starting point and this research demonstrates the need for a long term sustainable plan to invest and rebuild youth services across local government.
"We look forward to working with government to secure a commitment to a statutory youth service and to protecting the professional status of youth work through the development of a national youth strategy that reshapes the future for young people, recognises the enormous value of youth work and rebuilds youth services across the statutory and voluntary sectors."