FINAL Budget plans worth £27.5bn for 2026-27 have been published by the Welsh Government, with ministers saying the package will deliver £1.2bn more for people, public services and businesses than in the current financial year.
The Welsh Government said the Final Budget includes £400m of new allocations since the Draft Budget was set out in October, including £300m of revenue funding for local government and the NHS, secured through the budget agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru.
A further £100m in revenue and capital funding is earmarked for priorities including bus services, apprenticeships, further education, flood prevention and maintenance of school buildings.
Ministers said every Welsh Government department will receive at least the same level of funding in real terms in 2026-27 as this year, with uplifts for inflation and pay intended to help protect frontline services and safeguard jobs.
Key allocations highlighted in the announcement include an extra £112.8m for local government, with all councils set to receive increases of four per cent or above, and a further £180m for health and social care, bringing the total revenue budget for the sector to more than £12.6bn.
A £116m package of support for businesses over two years has also been announced to help firms manage the impact of the 2026 non-domestic rates revaluation.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said the Final Budget would provide extra resources for the services Wales relies on, while delivering certainty for public services.
He said: “This Final Budget provides extra resources to support the services Wales relies on. Every department has been protected with at least the same funding in real terms as this year, including extra funding for inflation and pay – recognising the vital work of our public service workforce.
“By working across the Senedd, we are providing certainty and stability for public services now, while ensuring the next Welsh Government has the resources it needs to deliver its priorities from day one.”
The Final Budget will be debated and put to a vote in the Senedd on Tuesday, January 27. The timetable published by the Welsh Government shows the Draft Budget was released on Tuesday, October 14, with the detailed Draft Budget published on Monday, November 3, before the budget agreement with Plaid Cymru was reached on Tuesday, December 9.
