The Case Against the Barnett Formula
Dear Member,
Since the foundation of the Workers of England Union, we have campaigned relentlessly for the revision and ultimately the removal of the Barnett Formula. From the outset, we have argued that this outdated funding mechanism is unfair, unequal, and penalises taxpayers in England and ultimately workers within England.
Time and again, we have shown how over-generous funding settlements for Scotland, made possible through Barnett uplifts, have resulted in reduced resources for public services in England.
Even within Wales, there are widespread calls for reform or removal of the formula, as many Welsh organisations recognise the disparity between funding for Scotland and Wales.
Now, our long-standing position is being vindicated.
In 2015, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA) declared that the Barnett Formula was no longer fit for purpose. The Workers of England Union welcomed this assessment at the time. and the WEU has not stopped calling on the government to abolish tis unfair system. It is time Westminster listened to the voices calling for change, it is time the government responded to the concerns being expressed by the Workers of England Union.
Despite repeated warnings from us, The WEU has faced criticism from the older outdated trade unions and the wider political establishment for daring to say what many people know to be true:
England is not being treated fairly in the allocation of public funds. Unfortunately, the old, outdated UK Trade Unions have failed their members in England by refusing to push for funding equality across the UK.
The facts speak for themselves.
Scotland currently receives around £2,400 more per person than England under the Barnett system.
To illustrate just how skewed the current arrangement is, the WEU has produced a comparative table showing how your city or county in England fares against Scotland under Barnett. The differences are staggering. You can explore this data by visiting the Campaign tab on our website and clicking on Barnett Formula.
Just imagine what your community could achieve with that extra funding. Local services, such as schools, healthcare, transport, social care might not be facing the brutal cuts they are today.
We urge you to support our campaign to scrap the Barnett Formula and demand a new, needs-based, transparent funding model that treats all UK nations and England fairly.
The following figures speak for themselves, yet it only the Workers of England Union speaking up for the Workers of England? Where are Unison, Unite and the GMB on this? There silence speaks volumes
Kind Regards
Stephen Morris
General Secretary of the Workers of England Union
Recent Spending Review Settlements
• Scotland received a record £50 billion block grant for 2025–26, including £454 million in Barnett consequentials.
• Wales secured an average annual increase of £1.6 billion from 2026–27 to 2028–29.
• Northern Ireland will receive £14 million extra in 2025–26, plus £1.2 billion per year on average during the same period. This equates to 24% more per person than the UK average.
Political Reactions by the Devolved nations are easily debunked
• Devolved governments argue Barnett fails to reflect actual costs or lost revenues.
• Critics in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland say Barnett doesn’t cover their needs, yet the per capita figures still exceed those for England.
• Reviews by parliamentary committees are now probing the system’s transparency and fairness.
England’s and the WEU’s Perspective
1. England Doesn’t Have a “Barnett”
• The formula only applies to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• England, the UK’s largest nation, relies entirely on central Treasury decisions, with no protected or uplifted mechanism.
2. Public Spending Gap
Per capita public spending (2024–25):
• Scotland: ~ £13,400
• Wales: ~ £12,800
• N. Ireland: ~ £14,200
• England: ~ £11,000
That’s a gap of £2,000–3,000 per person, with no systematic justification.
3. Not Needs-Based
• The Barnett Formula distributes funds by population, not need.
• Poor English counties / cities, like parts of the North East or coastal towns, receive no special uplift.
• Experts have long advocated for a needs-based formula, which would benefit disadvantaged English areas.
4. Political Fallout in England
• Local authorities in England are making deep cuts to public services.
• Meanwhile, devolved nations retain protected budgets and greater fiscal leeway.
• The WEU points out that this is “Taxpayers in England subsidising the rest
5. The WEU wants Barnett abolished or at least reformed, but Proposals are Ignored
• Multiple reviews (Holtham Commission, House of Lords) proposed reforms, but successive governments have ducked the issue.
• Labour’s recent 2025 spending plan left Barnett untouched, despite promises of “fairer regional funding.”
To be clear: –
• Taxpayers in England contribute most to UK Treasury’s budget and receive less per head.
• Deprived English areas are overlooked by the current funding model.
• There’s increasing pressure to either create an England equivalent to Barnett or reform UK-wide funding to reflect genuine need.
The time for change is now. The Barnett Formula is broken and we must replace it with a system that serves all citizens of the UK equally.
The WEU Demand fairness for taxpayers in England. Please share these with your friends and family.
Campaigning for fair funding for England