On 24 February 2026, Reading Borough Council in Berkshire approved its budget for the 2026/27 year, which includes millions of pounds in extra support for vulnerable residents. The plan focuses on providing more money for children and adults who need care services as the cost of these essential programmes continues to rise.
The council will put an extra £4.7 million into adult social care and £3.8 million into children’s services to help manage the high prices charged by private care companies. To fund this, Council Tax will increase by 4.99 per cent, which works out to about £1.80 more per week for residents living in a Band C property.
To make the numbers work, the council identified over £10.7 million in savings and will use £7.3 million from its reserve funds. Unlike some neighbouring areas in Berkshire, Reading has managed to balance its books without needing to ask the national government for emergency financial support.
The budget also includes a five-year building plan worth over £140 million for local projects. This includes a new studio theatre at the Hexagon and building new council-run children’s homes to help reduce the town’s reliance on expensive private placements.
Council Leader Liz Terry explained that while the budget is balanced for now, using savings to cover the core costs of social care is not a permanent solution. Social care now accounts for more than 70 per cent of what the council spends on all local services.
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