The government is set to spend more than £930 million on advertising space in a bid to sell government policies in the lead-up to the next election.
According to data collected by the Labour Party, the amount is nearly double the normal advertising budget given to ministers over the previous four years.
Despite this, analysis has revealed that more money was spent on Covid-related government advertising.
The news comes as Liz Truss prepares to release an ad campaign to showcase her £150 billion plan to freeze energy bills at an average of £2,500. According to The Guardian, the prime minister reportedly told her peers that she was disappointed that the government had not received any political credit for the energy cost plan, amid the tax-cut row.
While the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is set to have its budget increased by £26 million to £36 million, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spending will rise by 361.5% from £4.7 million to £21.6 million.
After spending £37 million on non-Covid ad buying over the past four years, the Department for Health and Social Care will get the largest chunk of the ad-spend budget totalling £251 million.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will also see its budget rise by 1,200%, from £700,000 to £9.6 million.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has branded the planned budget as “absolutely obscene”, claiming that it “doesn’t even include the vast sums that will be spent on producing adverts as well”.
