You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The charts below show local government expenditure in 2010 and 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Sample answer:
The charts show the percentage breakdown of government spending across nine categories in 2010 and 2015. Over the five-year period, there were significant changes in expenditure.
In both years, the four largest areas of government expenditure were: education, healthcare, pensions, and defence, with education taking the largest share (24% in 2010 and 21% in 2015). The smallest areas of expenditure were transport, culture and leisure and “other”. Interest on borrowing and spending on welfare lay in between.
Interestingly, between 2010 and 2015, spending on all four of the largest areas had dropped, with the exception of pensions, which remained the same at 19%. Spending on transport and culture and leisure also fell significantly, with the transport budget declining by two thirds. On the other hand, spending on welfare and interest on government borrowing rose markedly, with the latter doubling over the five-year period to 10%.
Overall, the charts indicate that the government has had to cut expenditure in most areas in order to fund the cost of borrowing and welfare.
(170 words)
