Aarhus municipality cuts 150 million kroner from social services budget

Aarhus Municipality will reduce its annual social services budget by 150 million kroner (€20.2 million) after a majority in the city council approved the savings plan following a public consultation that drew over 1,400 responses, DR reports.

The cuts will affect services including treatment for self-harm and eating disorders, support for homeless youth, and subsidies for private civil society organisations. Administrative savings of around 37 million kroner will also be implemented, including the elimination of management positions and department mergers.

Michael Christensen (Liberal Alliance), the city’s alderman for social affairs and employment, acknowledged the broad impact of the reductions: “Unfortunately, these savings will hit across the board. We will be cutting both civil society organisations and core welfare services.”

The agreement was backed by Liberal Alliance, the Social Democrats, SF, Venstre, the Conservatives, and the Denmark Democrats. The Denmark Democrats’ city councillor Jakob Søgaard Clausen noted that the final plan reduced the original proposal by over 34 million kroner, preserving holiday programmes for vulnerable youth and meal services in residential facilities.

“I’ve fought hard to ensure we don’t cut essentials like food and holiday experiences for our most vulnerable citizens. These things are crucial for their quality of life,” Clausen stated.

Critics, including the Danish People’s Party, warned that reducing preventive measures could lead to far higher costs in the future. “If we cut preventive efforts now, it will hit the municipal budget tenfold—or more—in just a few years,” said party representative Thomas Kastrup Christensen.

Christensen expressed hope that future budget negotiations could restore funding: “I’m looking ahead to the next round of talks, where we can secure more resources to gradually rebuild social services in Aarhus.”

The cuts follow a 155 million kroner reduction in the municipality’s employment services budget, approved earlier this year. The full social services savings will be phased in by 2026, with nearly 43 million kroner in reductions required next year alone.