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England · single-tier councils · 2024-25

Barnsley Council budget and spending

Barnsley Council had net current service expenditure of £414.1m in 2024-25, about £1,638 for each of its 252,784 residents. By total budget it is 113th highest of 185 single-tier councils.

Net service spending, 2024-25
£414.1m
Spend per resident
£1,638
164th of 185 single-tier councils
Population (mid-2025)
252,784
ONS mid-year estimate
Rank by total budget
113th
of 185 single-tier councils

This is the council budget only (net current service expenditure). NHS, pensions, Universal Credit and debt interest are not included. In two-tier counties, education and social care sit with the county, not the district.

Where Barnsley Council spends its money

Barnsley Council spending by service, 2024-25
  • Education£144.2m

    34.8% of the budget

  • Adult social care£88.6m

    21.4% of the budget

  • Children's social care£82.2m

    19.8% of the budget

  • Environment£26.3m

    6.4% of the budget

  • Public health£25.8m

    6.2% of the budget

  • Central and other£22.8m

    5.5% of the budget

  • Culture£9.1m

    2.2% of the budget

  • Highways and transport£6.2m

    1.5% of the budget

  • Planning£4.9m

    1.2% of the budget

  • Housing£3.9m

    0.9% of the budget

Single-tier councils (unitary, metropolitan, London borough and Scottish and Welsh councils) run every local service in their area, so they are compared with each other.

Councils with similar spend per resident

Barnsley Council: common questions

How much does Barnsley Council spend?

Barnsley Council had net current service expenditure of £414.1m in 2024-25. This is the council budget only: it excludes NHS spending, pensions, Universal Credit and debt interest.

How much does Barnsley Council spend per resident?

About £1,638 per resident, from a 2024-25 budget of £414.1m and an ONS population estimate of 252,784. That is 164th highest of 185 single-tier councils.

What does Barnsley Council spend most on?

Education is the largest service line at £144.2m, 34.8% of the 2024-25 budget.

How much of Barnsley Council's budget goes on social care?

Adult and children's social care together take 41.2% of net service spending in 2024-25.