Part 8/11:

Local councils across the UK face significant financial crises, with 43% reportedly at risk of bankruptcy. Years of austerity have left them grappling with increased demand for critical services, especially in social care, straining budgets and limiting their ability to invest in necessary infrastructure repairs like road maintenance. As council funding dwindles, local areas are forced to prioritize essential services, neglecting wider community needs.

An alarming trend is the reduction in participation rates in the workforce, with more individuals moving onto sickness benefits, further stunting productivity growth. While the unemployment rate remains low at 4.5%, the reality is that many individuals have exited the labor market entirely, skewing conventional unemployment metrics.