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Select committee: Public Accounts Committee

Conclusion 22

18th Report - The financial sustainability of the British Council Published 30 Oct 2026

Public Accounts Committee Financial sustainability of the British Council All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Conclusion (the committee's words)
The British Council told us that successful delivery of the turnaround plan would leave the organisation in a stronger financial position and able to begin repaying its loan obligations but noted that this would require everything to go “perfectly”. It also acknowledged that the British Council would continue to have limited resilience to future external shocks because of its free reserves position, which is forecasted to remain negative for at least the next five years.49 44 Q 58 45 Qq 54, 55 46 Q 58 47 C&AG’s Report, para 3.4, Figure 13 48 C&AG’s Report, Key facts, para 1.11, 3.16 49 Q 38 15

From: Public Accounts Committee, 18th Report - The financial sustainability of the British Council (HC 100), 30 October 2026

Government response

Government response awaited: deadline 30 December 2026.