The Welsh Government has unveiled its spending plans for next year with an additional £1.5bn allocated to public services, including an extra £610m for health and social care.
Mark Drakeford announced all government departments will receive increases in day-to-day revenue and longer-term capital funding, marking a departure from last year’s cuts.
Wales’ finance secretary described the £26bn draft budget as offering an opportunity to rebuild and reinvigorate public services after 14 difficult years.
He said: “This is a budget for a brighter future, delivering an extra £1.5bn for our public services and priorities, helping to put Wales firmly back on the path of growth….
“This is in stark contrast to the last couple of years when we have been forced to make some very difficult and painful decisions.”
‘Damage’
The ex-first minister added: “This is a good budget for Wales. But it will take time to reverse the damage inflicted on Wales over 14 years of neglect from previous UK administrations.”
The 2025/26 draft budget includes an extra £610m for health and social services, £186m to improve rail services, including the core valleys lines, and £81m to build more social housing for rent.
Councils will receive a 4.3 per cent increase in the local government settlement.
The increases by department are as follows:
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Health: 3.8 per cent revenue, 30 per cent capital
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Housing and local government: 5.4 per cent revenue, 11.2 per cent capital
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Education: 4.9 per cent revenue, 8.1 per cent capital
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Transport: 12 per cent revenue, 10.7 per cent capital
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Climate change and rural affairs: 6.6 per cent revenue, 31 per cent capital
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Economy, energy and planning: 4.3 per cent revenue, 59.1 per cent capital
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Social justice: 4.7 per cent revenue, 23 per cent capital
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Central services and administration: 7.4 per cent revenue, 47 per cent capital
Welsh rates of income tax will remain unchanged, with taxpayers continuing to pay the same rates as in England and Northern Ireland.
However, the Welsh Government announced that higher residential rates of land transaction tax – Wales’ equivalent of stamp duty – will increase by 1 per cent for second homes, raising an extra £7m.
The standard rate of landfill disposal tax will also rise to reduce waste and boost recycling.
Will the budget pass?
The big question is how the Welsh Government will pass its budget, with parliamentary arithmetic in the Senedd on a knife-edge and Labour one seat short of a majority.
Eluned Morgan, who has warned Wales could lose out on £1bn if opposition parties do not support the spending plans, will need to cut a deal with at least one opposition member.
Previous budgets have been passed with the help of Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrat and independent Senedd members, with a deal with the Conservatives seeming unlikely.
Plaid Cymru backed the Welsh Government’s budget in recent years in return for 46 commitments but the cooperation deal between the two collapsed in October 2023.
The first minister could also reach out to Jane Dodds, the Lib Dems’ leader in Wales and the party’s sole Senedd member, or Rhys ab Owen, who sits as an independent.
What happens if it doesn’t pass?
Senedd members need to agree a motion on Welsh rates of income tax (Writ), which are forecast to raise about £3.3bn in 2025/26, before the budget can be passed.
Writ defaults to zero if a motion cannot be passed, meaning basic, higher and additional rates would decrease by 10p in the £1 for Welsh taxpayers.
If the annual budget motion is not agreed by the start of the financial year in April, the budget of the Welsh Government would revert to 75 per cent of the previous year’s.
This would also affect directly funded bodies such as the Senedd, Public Services Ombudsman, Wales Audit Office and the Electoral Commission.
If a motion is still not agreed by the end of July, the budget rises to 95 per cent.
What’s next?
Mark Drakeford will lead a debate on the draft budget in the debating chamber or Siambr which will be broadcast live on Senedd.TV from about 2.50pm today.
He will also appear before the Welsh Parliament’s finance committee on Thursday morning to face questions about the spending plans for the 12 months from April.
Senedd members will then scrutinise the draft budget through December and January.
Committees will take evidence from witnesses including the Office for Budget Responsibility, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Wales Fiscal Analysis, Bevan Foundation and Citizens’ Advice.
Based on this evidence, committees will publish scrutiny reports by February 3.
A further debate on the draft budget will be held the following day, with the final budget set to be published on February 25 and a crunch vote to follow on March 4.
Navigating this year’s budget process will be a key test for Wales’ new first minister, with the next Senedd election looming in less than 18 months in May 2026.
‘Tax-and-spend frenzy’
Peter Fox, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, criticised Labour’s “tax-and-spend frenzy” and raised concerns economic growth could shrink.
Mr Fox said: “Both Labour governments just don’t understand business,” as he described national insurance increases as a tax on growth and a broken manifesto pledge.
He described claims of a £22bn “blackhole” in the UK’s finances as fictitious, adding that the Welsh budget has increased due to tax rises and vast amounts of borrowing.
Mr Fox welcomed an additional £252m for local government but cautioned that it will still leave councils facing a “cliff edge” with financial pressures totalling £300m.
The former Monmouth council leader said the Welsh Government has “finally seen sense”, agreeing to offer retail, hospitality and leisure businesses the same relief as in England.
‘Drop in the ocean’
Heledd Fychan, for Plaid Cymru, warned the draft budget falls short of the funding Wales is owed following the lowest real-terms increase of all the devolved nations at 1.3 per cent.
The party’s shadow finance secretary reiterated calls for billions from HS2 and replacement of the “outdated” Barnett formula with a fairer model based on population need.
Ms Fychan said: “Without this, it is clear that despite the uplift many sectors will be left broken and uncertain about the future: cuts will still have to be made, council tax will have to rise and the backlog across the NHS will remain incredibly high.
“Yes, the investment is welcome but it is a drop in the ocean of what’s needed.”
Ms Fychan, who represents South Wales West, warned the budget will largely plug gaps created by Westminster and Labour mismanagement.