Westmorland and Furness Council spent £16 million on consultants and freelancers over the last financial year, newly released figures have revealed.
The data, obtained via a Freedom of Information request, shows the council paid the sum during the 2024/25 financial year, with 153 consultants and freelancers registered on the council’s HR system as of 17th March 2025. This equates to around £1.4 million being spent each month on external staff.
A council spokesperson said: “Many of these engagements are covering substantive roles and to employ them directly would cost approximately £900,000 per month.”
The council is currently facing recruitment pressures, with a range of roles actively being advertised. These challenges are not unique to Westmorland and Furness, as councils across the country struggle to attract and retain staff in key service areas.
Last year, the UK Government moved to reduce the number and cost of external consultants across central government departments. However, no such limits have been placed on local authorities, leaving councils free to rely on consultants and freelancers to fill gaps in their workforce.