National Parks in England are facing some tough decisions after the government cut their funding by 9% for the year 2025-2026.
Along with the impact of changes in National Insurance contributions (NICs) and the stopping of one-off ‘sticking plaster’ contributions that had been allocated to National Parks over the last two years, the cut is effective to 12%, National Parks England says.
Although it is the biggest one-off cut in years, funding has been falling significantly over the past 15 years. The Lake District National Park, for example, has had its budget reduced from £7.2 million ($9.54 million) in 2010 to £5.6 million ($7.42 million) in 2025.
National Parks England says, factoring in inflation, the cuts actually equate to a 20% reduction in real terms.
The Campaign for National Parks has said that the cuts are "leading to agonizing decisions, such as selling off publicly owned land and closing visitor services, and limiting the key role these areas could play in reversing biodiversity decline and tackling the climate emergency".
Back at the beginning of April, Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA) head Tony Gates said the cuts would mean losing staff, as well as education and outreach programs.
He told the BBC that national parks were "assets" that could help the public get closer to nature and better understand the impact of climate change.
"We're not going to be able to realise that potential," he said.
Dartmoor National Park Authority’s chief executive Kevin Bishop asked “Do we charge entry or have hiking licenses like some countries do which people need every time they go for a walk?" Radio Exe reported.
The funding cannot keep getting cut unless the preferred option is to not have a national park of any merit.”
The park authorities have been offered one-off capital grants meant for long-term investments, but it is the day-to-day running costs, such as staffing, that is the largest expenditure which accounts for more than 90 per cent of its funding, Bishop said.
Elsewhere, National Parks in Scotland have seen budget increases of 12% and in Wales, 5%.
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