Birmingham Faces Major Budget Cuts in 2025,Threatening Community Services

By Lorenna Bomme

Birmingham City Council has announced significant budget cuts for 2025, of over £100 million. The cuts were announced because of the rising inflation, and increasing demands in public sector , are expected to affect many areas, including social care, education, housing, and transport.

Social care services, which support the city’s oldest and disabled community, will see the largest reductions. Councillor Penny Holbrook, Cabinet Member for Social Care is concerned over the impact on vulnerable people. “These cuts threaten essential services that people rely on every day. We may be forced to scale back services and reduce support for those who need it most,” Holbrook said.

Theresa Morton, volunteer at St bartholomew’s community center part of St Laurence’s Church in Birmingham, told us about the increasing need for need for charities and religious organisations to support people where other services do not exist.  One area of particular need is things for families to do during school holidays. Parents can not afford to either take time off work or pay for holiday clubs. One of the things St Bartholomew’s Church has done to provide support is set up ‘St Bart’s Picnic in the Park’, where families can play games, have refreshments, and even look round a fire engine, all free of charge. There is increasing concern about the lack of opportunities for young people, heightened again very recently by the stabbing of a 15-year old by two others of the same age in the local community.

Council cuts are threatening the closure of The Factory Young People’s Centre, which provides a youth club and a base for other community groups, such as a basketball team. The Centre is already reliant on volunteers to run most of its activities. This not only helps them stay off the streets, but also has the added benefit of caring for their mental health, at a time when local mental health services are unable to cope with the number of young people needing support.

Education services, especially support for students with special educational needs (SEN), are also about to face some cuts. Local schools, many already struggling with budget restrictions, will be forced to deal with the reductions, potentially increasing class sizes and cutting staff. Public transport, vital service for many residents, might also be affected, with higher fares, reduced services, and delays to major infrastructure projects like the tram network expansion.

Housing will also be affected. Residents of Birmingham are already in the middle of a housing crisis, with thousands on waiting list for affordable houses and the cuts should slow down the construction of new affordable accommodations and delay regeneration projects.
Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay, an economic expert, commented on the economic impact of the cuts. “Birmingham’s economy relies on strong public services, and reducing funding will have long-term consequences. Cuts to social care, education, and housing will disproportionately affect the city’s most vulnerable communities,” Bandyopadhyay explained. “These reductions could stall the city’s economic growth, making it harder for businesses and skilled workers to thrive here.”

Siddhartha also highlighted the potential for increased social unrest, warning that reducing public services could strain the local economy and social fabric.

As the city braces for the full impact of these cuts, residents are left wondering how the reductions will affect their lives and the future of Birmingham.