Key Points:
- Carla Denyer, the Green Party Member of Parliament for Bristol, has said that the people of Bristol are more than £100 poorer compared to people living in other big cities in UK because of the funding proposals put forth by the government.
- As per Carla Denyer, the underspending of the Core Spending Power is £122 per capita, on an average, when compared between Bristol and other major cities like Sheffield and Cardiff.
- An open letter written to John Healey, the Chancellor by Carla Denyer before the budget that is scheduled on October 28.
- Carla Denyer has backed the call made by the Bristol City Council for a minimum increase of £80 per capita in core government funding.
- The current funding mechanism which relies on council tax and locally raised business rates makes life harder for the people of Bristol amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Bristol (Bristol Express News) October 20, 2026 – Bristolians ‘over £100 worse off than other city dwellers’ under financial plans, says Green MP – Bristol Central MP Carla Denyer has warned that Bristol residents face a severe financial disadvantage compared to citizens in other major urban centres, urging the Treasury to bridge a £122 per person spending power deficit ahead of the upcoming autumn budget.
Why is Bristol facing a funding shortfall compared to other core cities?
As reported by multimedia journalist Phoebe Hobbs of Bristol Live, local parliamentarian Carla Denyer has raised serious concerns that essential public services across Bristol are under severe strain. According to the reports published by Bristol Live, the Member of Parliament for Bristol Central stated that the region suffers from some of the lowest levels of government core funding per person among all large cities in England.
As detailed by Phoebe Hobbs in Bristol Live, Denyer emphasized that this structural deficiency forces the local authority to rely heavily on council tax and locally retained business rates. As reported by Bristol Live, the Green Party MP argued that this mechanism places an unfair burden on working people in Bristol who are already navigating financial pressures.
What did MP Carla Denyer write in her open letter to the Chancellor?
As documented by Phoebe Hobbs of Bristol Live, MP Carla Denyer formally addressed Chancellor John Healey through an open letter following her consultations with council staff and local leaders. As stated by the media title Bristol Live, Denyer wrote:
“This month I met with staff and councillors at Bristol City Council to discuss the funding of essential local services. Bristol City Council is at present struggling to resource many essential services because of the lack of funding they receive from central government.”
Further outlining the disparity, journalist Phoebe Hobbs reported that Denyer highlighted the statistics in her communication with the Treasury. As quoted by Bristol Live, Denyer noted:
“There is a £122 per person gap in average Core Spending Power between Bristol and the Core Cities average, highlighting a significant disparity in the funding available to support residents and deliver local services compared to other Core Cities such as Manchester.”
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How does this impact the wider Core Cities alliance and local constituents?
As noted by Bristol Live, the ‘Core Cities’ designation encompasses 12 major urban authorities across the United Kingdom—including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield—which collectively generate a quarter of the national economy.
As reported by Phoebe Hobbs in Bristol Live, Denyer described hearing daily testimonies from local constituents regarding how underfunded municipal services degrade their everyday quality of life. As published by Bristol Live, Denyer asserted:
“Your government’s Local Government Finance Settlement increases dependence on Council Tax and locally retained Business Rates, placing the burden on residents of Bristol already struggling with the tightening of belts in the cost of living crisis. The buck cannot stop with the working people and businesses of Bristol Central.”
Concluding her appeal, as highlighted by Bristol Live, the MP implored the government to heed local requests:
“I understand Bristol City Council has asked your government to increase Bristol’s core funding by at least £80 per resident to begin to help us catch up with the provisions of other Core Cities. I implore you to listen. Growth in every postcode will only be possible if your government takes action and pitches in.”
As reported by Bristol Live, Chancellor John Healey is scheduled to deliver his inaugural budget announcement on October 28.
Background of the Development
The debate surrounding local government funding formulas has persisted for years across the United Kingdom, particularly regarding how Core Spending Power is calculated for large metropolitan authorities in England. Local authorities like Bristol City Council have frequently argued that baseline settlement calculations fail to account for rising social care demands, population growth, and inflation. The Core Cities group has consistently lobbied Westminster for fairer resource allocation, arguing that underfunding metropolitan engines restricts broader national economic productivity. The latest intervention by Bristol Central MP Carla Denyer highlights ongoing friction between local government financial needs and national fiscal policy ahead of the autumn budget cycle.
If the Treasury addresses the funding shortfall and grants the requested increase of at least £80 per person in core funding during the upcoming budget, Bristol City Council could see immediate relief in its budgetary planning, potentially stabilising vital local services and easing upward pressure on council tax bills. Conversely, if the government maintains current funding parameters, local leaders may be forced to implement further service cutbacks or rely more heavily on local taxation. For Bristol residents and local businesses, this could translate into higher household overheads, increased council tax burdens, and continued strain on public amenities during an already challenging economic climate.
