Government announces £1.6bn extra funding for councils

Councils across England are to be given an extra £1.6 billion in funding to deal with the coronavirus emergency after complaints from local authorities that services could suffer.

The Local Government Association had said the situation could cause some councils to “take extreme cost-cutting and rationing measures soon”.

The pandemic emergency has increased pressure on council services like support for those living with disabilities and social care, while income from areas like parking fees has dropped.