Councils in England to receive £56.5 million to support Brexit preparations

Local authorities across England will receive over £56 million to support their Brexit preparations, ministers announced on Monday.

Councils will receive £20 million this financial year (2018 to 2019) and £20 million in 2019 to 2020 to spend on planning and strengthening their resources. A further £10 million will be available in the next financial year (2019 to 2020). This funding is intended to help local authorities with specific costs which may arise following Brexit.

Furthermore, £1.5 million will be allocated in 2018 to 2019 only to local authorities facing immediate impacts from local ports, with the decision on the allocation and distribution of that funding to be announced shortly. A further £5 million will be split by teams in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, local authorities, and Local Resilience Forums for specific purposes such as strengthening preparations and supporting communities.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, said: "Local authorities have a critical role to play in making a success of Brexit in their areas.

"I’m determined to ensure councils have the resources they need, which is why I’m releasing £56.5 million of extra finance to help them to deliver essential services and keep residents well-informed.

"I will continue to work closely with local leaders to ensure they are prepared to respond to any Brexit scenario."