Beyond the Brink: The State of Funding for Youth Services in England and Wales

Latest research by YMCA reveals an alarming fact – collectively across England & Wales, local authority funding for youth services has been slashed by more than £1 billion in real terms since 2010/11.

Despite repeated calls for action from the sector, the report reveals the ongoing persistent funding shortfalls and their impact on young people and local communities. For over a decade, local authority budgets for youth services have been significantly depleted, with YMCA’s annual reports charting the deep and continuing cuts on youth services and the impact of this on young people.

From much-needed services for young people disappearing, youth centres closing, and trained youth workers lost to the sector to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the financial strain on councils, youth services have been pushed to breaking point.

Instead of the much-needed reinvestment, YMCA’s latest report has revealed a stagnated 73% decline in funding for England (0.5% fall year-on-year), and a 6% year-on-year decline in Wales. This represents a real-terms cut of £1.2bn to youth services between 2010-11 to 2023-24 in England, and £16.6m in Wales.

Key findings of the report reveal: