Sheffield City Council budget consultation 2026-2027

1. Introduction

Sheffield City Council (SCC) must agree a balanced budget every year. As part of agreeing the budget, we ask citizens, business leaders and voluntary, community and faith sector organisations for their views on our budget.

Our consultation is from Monday 5th January to Sunday 1st February 2026.

As set out last year, we have committed to focusing our budget on the five big priorities for the city agreed in the Council Plan (2024-28) so we are investing in the things we’ve committed to achieving for the city:

1. A place where all children belong and all young people can build a successful future

2. Great neighbourhoods that people are happy to call home

3. People live in caring, engaged communities that value diversity and support wellbeing

4. A creative and prosperous city full of culture, learning, and innovation

5. A city on the move – growing, connected and sustainable.

To deliver, we have to plan for a changing city. Our residents’ needs are more complex. Money is tighter because our funding is lower and demand for our services is higher. Many of our systems and processes were built for a different time.

Future Sheffield is our approach to change the way we work to become a modern, trusted Council that works well for the city and is a great place to work. It’s about fixing the things that make life harder than it needs to be and building on the things we already do well.

We know we need more joined-up services, better use of technology, closer work with communities, and a way of operating that is financially sustainable for the future. This will mean we’ll be a smaller Council, but smarter, more efficient and much better at what we do.

It will help us to:

  • Serve our residents, business and customers more effectively online, on the phone and in person
  • Modernise our ways of working and improve our use of technology
  • Design services that are fit for the future and the changes and increasing demand we will see in Sheffield
  • Equip our workers with the skills, processes and technology they need
  • Reduce our running costs so we are a modern and financially sustainable Council.
  • Deliver the Council Plan and play a part in meeting the City Goals.

At the end of December, Government set out how much money we will have for the coming three years (2026 to 2029). This gives us more opportunity to plan and we want your views on our budget for the coming year and what we need to focus on in the coming two years.


2. How we're funded

Sheffield City Council gets its money from different sources which are then used fund vital services for the city.

The chart below shows where our money comes from (in £millions for 2025-26). It is important to know that some of this money can only be spend on specific things – for example the Dedicated Schools Grant goes to schools in Sheffield.


Sheffield City Council funding sources 2025-26


3. Our spending plans

Sheffield is facing several increased financial pressures like other Core Cities and local authorities. We need to plan our spending very carefully to ensure the Council’s financial sustainability, support the ambitions and needs for Sheffield and meet our strategic objectives.

In line with our Future Sheffield work, we are using our budget approach to:

  • Deal with issues up front and take action to reduce costs and spending further down the line.

  • Take opportunities to redesign services and improve customer experience, which may mean that, over time, we need a smaller workforce to deliver for citizens.

  • Find new or enhanced sources of income by looking at the assets we hold, new grants that are available and fees and charges.

  • Manage and reduce what we spend on goods and services from external suppliers and contractors and things that don’t deliver for customers and citizens.


4. Our decision-making process

The proposed approach to our budget and individual savings proposals will be subject to decisions by Full Council on 4 March 2026.

Those decisions will be informed by the outcome of this consultation and, where needed, consultations on individual proposals.


5. Have Your Say

The survey that follows asks for your views on our spending plans for each of the Council Plan’s strategic priorities.

As in previous years, there’s also a question about raising Council Tax and the Adult Social Care Precept. The Government funding assumes that local authorities will raise these by the maximum allowable. Without this measure, other savings would need to be found.

There are 14 questions in all about our spending plans and budget. The survey should take around 15 to 20 minutes. Your feedback will be included in the consultation report to help Full Council decide on the budget on 4 March.

Thank for taking the time to get involved - we look forward to hearing your views.

1. Introduction

Sheffield City Council (SCC) must agree a balanced budget every year. As part of agreeing the budget, we ask citizens, business leaders and voluntary, community and faith sector organisations for their views on our budget.

Our consultation is from Monday 5th January to Sunday 1st February 2026.

As set out last year, we have committed to focusing our budget on the five big priorities for the city agreed in the Council Plan (2024-28) so we are investing in the things we’ve committed to achieving for the city:

1. A place where all children belong and all young people can build a successful future

2. Great neighbourhoods that people are happy to call home

3. People live in caring, engaged communities that value diversity and support wellbeing

4. A creative and prosperous city full of culture, learning, and innovation

5. A city on the move – growing, connected and sustainable.

To deliver, we have to plan for a changing city. Our residents’ needs are more complex. Money is tighter because our funding is lower and demand for our services is higher. Many of our systems and processes were built for a different time.

Future Sheffield is our approach to change the way we work to become a modern, trusted Council that works well for the city and is a great place to work. It’s about fixing the things that make life harder than it needs to be and building on the things we already do well.

We know we need more joined-up services, better use of technology, closer work with communities, and a way of operating that is financially sustainable for the future. This will mean we’ll be a smaller Council, but smarter, more efficient and much better at what we do.

It will help us to:

  • Serve our residents, business and customers more effectively online, on the phone and in person
  • Modernise our ways of working and improve our use of technology
  • Design services that are fit for the future and the changes and increasing demand we will see in Sheffield
  • Equip our workers with the skills, processes and technology they need
  • Reduce our running costs so we are a modern and financially sustainable Council.
  • Deliver the Council Plan and play a part in meeting the City Goals.

At the end of December, Government set out how much money we will have for the coming three years (2026 to 2029). This gives us more opportunity to plan and we want your views on our budget for the coming year and what we need to focus on in the coming two years.


2. How we're funded

Sheffield City Council gets its money from different sources which are then used fund vital services for the city.

The chart below shows where our money comes from (in £millions for 2025-26). It is important to know that some of this money can only be spend on specific things – for example the Dedicated Schools Grant goes to schools in Sheffield.


Sheffield City Council funding sources 2025-26


3. Our spending plans

Sheffield is facing several increased financial pressures like other Core Cities and local authorities. We need to plan our spending very carefully to ensure the Council’s financial sustainability, support the ambitions and needs for Sheffield and meet our strategic objectives.

In line with our Future Sheffield work, we are using our budget approach to:

  • Deal with issues up front and take action to reduce costs and spending further down the line.

  • Take opportunities to redesign services and improve customer experience, which may mean that, over time, we need a smaller workforce to deliver for citizens.

  • Find new or enhanced sources of income by looking at the assets we hold, new grants that are available and fees and charges.

  • Manage and reduce what we spend on goods and services from external suppliers and contractors and things that don’t deliver for customers and citizens.


4. Our decision-making process

The proposed approach to our budget and individual savings proposals will be subject to decisions by Full Council on 4 March 2026.

Those decisions will be informed by the outcome of this consultation and, where needed, consultations on individual proposals.


5. Have Your Say

The survey that follows asks for your views on our spending plans for each of the Council Plan’s strategic priorities.

As in previous years, there’s also a question about raising Council Tax and the Adult Social Care Precept. The Government funding assumes that local authorities will raise these by the maximum allowable. Without this measure, other savings would need to be found.

There are 14 questions in all about our spending plans and budget. The survey should take around 15 to 20 minutes. Your feedback will be included in the consultation report to help Full Council decide on the budget on 4 March.

Thank for taking the time to get involved - we look forward to hearing your views.

Page last updated: 07 Jan 2026, 05:30 PM