My Money Matters Blog: £17m Saved and stronger retirement outcomes
When our relationship with the County Councils Network began in 2023, it started with a simple conversation about a shared challenge.
County councils were - and still are - operating in an environment of sustained financial pressure. Workforce retention, rising service demand and tight budgets are daily realities. The question we discussed was straightforward: how can councils unlock financial efficiencies while also improving outcomes for their staff?
Since then, our partnership with CCN member councils has delivered a clear answer.
Delivering Tangible Savings
Through salary sacrifice schemes and structured financial wellbeing support aligned to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), participating CCN councils have collectively generated more than £17 million in savings.
Those savings primarily come from employer National Insurance efficiencies, delivered without reducing employee benefit. In many cases, councils have been able to reinvest those funds back into frontline services or workforce initiatives.
At a time when every pound matters, creating efficiencies without cutting provision is significant.
But while the £17 million figure is important, it isn’t the only thing that makes me proud.
Improving Retirement Confidence
Behind every saving is a member of staff planning for their future.
Across CCN councils, we’ve supported thousands of local government employees to better understand their pension benefits, assess their retirement options and make informed financial decisions. Public sector pensions are valuable, but they can also be complex. Without accessible guidance, many employees simply don’t engage fully with what they have.
By working alongside HR and finance teams within CCN authorities, we’ve helped make pension education clearer and more practical. That has led to stronger retirement outcomes and greater financial confidence for staff at all career stages.
A Partnership Built on Practicality
One of the strengths of working with CCN has been the collaborative approach. From our first conference engagement in 2023 to ongoing discussions with member councils, the focus has consistently been on measurable outcomes rather than theory.
As additional councils joined the scheme through 2024 and 2025, the collective impact has grown. Each authority that participates strengthens the overall network effect - delivering efficiencies while supporting staff through ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
Crucially, this has been achieved without adding administrative burden to councils or requiring significant upfront investment.
Looking Ahead
County councils face complex challenges, and there are no single solutions. However, our experience over the past few years shows that with the right approach, it is possible to deliver meaningful savings and improve workforce financial wellbeing at the same time.
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together so far - over £17 million in savings and thousands of improved retirement outcomes across CCN councils.
And I’m confident there is more we can achieve through continued collaboration.
If you’re a CCN member and would like to explore what this could look like in your authority, I’d be very happy to speak.
Tim McEwan
Business Development Director, My Money Matters
