Research by the GMB union highlights the toll of austerity on local government workforces
Councils across England and Wales have slashed nearly 600,000 jobs in just over a decade, a stark new report reveals, exposing the scale of the funding crisis gripping local government.
According to GMB, one of the UK’s largest unions, the number of council workers has plummeted from 1.89 million in 2012 to just 1.29 million by 2024. That’s more than a third of the workforce gone. The union’s latest analysis paints a worrying picture of long-term underinvestment and growing pressure on essential public services.
Birmingham Takes the Hardest Hit
Birmingham City Council has borne the brunt of the cuts, shedding nearly 27,000 jobs over the period. Already grappling with a ballooning deficit, the council is now under further strain amid an ongoing dispute with refuse workers from Unite the union, leaving bins uncollected and waste piling up across several neighbourhoods.
Elsewhere, Derbyshire and Staffordshire councils—both in the Midlands—also ranked among the worst affected. All three authorities have faced severe financial constraints, with local services stretched to breaking point.
The GMB has released the figures ahead of pay negotiations with the Local Government Association (LGA), with discussions over the 2025/26 settlement set to begin shortly.
Kevin Brandstatter, GMB National Officer, said, “These figures are clearly appalling and show the deep and lasting damage austerity has done to our country. Council workers look after our loved ones, help our children learn, clear away our rubbish, and keep our green spaces clean.
They are the absolute backbone of society and should have had this year’s pay lift already – instead, we are waiting for a response from the Local Government Association. GMB members working in local government face huge pressures, with the cost of living rocketing. They deserve a decent pay rise.”
The union argues that shrinking staff numbers are increasing the strain on those who remain, with many struggling to meet growing demands amidst rising living costs.
LGA Acknowledges Urgent Need for Investment
The Local Government Association has acknowledged the scale of the challenge, stressing the importance of local authority workers and calling for increased government support.
“Working in local government has never been more valued or important, given the hundreds of essential services provided every day by councils and combined authorities to keep our communities running,” a spokesperson for the LGA said.
“Significant staff shortages in local government risk having a serious impact on councils’ capacity to deliver services and help the Government meet key pledges. Government investment in local government and its workforce is key to ensure services are protected and also to deliver its own policy agenda.”
The numbers tell a sobering story—over half a million jobs gone, services under strain, and communities feeling the effects.
As pay negotiations gear up, the spotlight is firmly on whether the Government will step up and offer the support councils so desperately need.
With fewer boots on the ground and rising demands, many now fear that without urgent intervention, the very foundation of local public services could start to crumble.
