This guide is for senior finance leaders in government departments and other public bodies. It sets out insights and good practice on how to allocate resources for better financial management in government. It is the third in a five-part series of guides, which follow the financial management lifecycle.

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For public services to be efficient and productive, the effective management of public finances is essential.

This guide outlines how finance leaders across government can allocate resources effectively when resources are scarce and trade-offs need to be made.

It focuses on three principles:

  • Using information intelligently an organisation should use trusted and objective information intelligently, so it can allocate resources to support strategic objectives.  
  • Prioritising effectively – finance leaders should support decision makers to make difficult decisions and trade-offs to generate good value-for-money outcomes based on agreed priorities.
  • Building for the long term – decisions need to balance short-term pressures with long-term priorities and align with the strategic objectives of the organisation. 

We have drawn insights from our reports, the experiences of our audit teams, and the thoughts of a range of senior finance decision‑makers through focus groups and interviews.

How to use this guide

You can read the guide in one go or just dip into it during the stage where resources need to be allocated.

We set out what good looks like, what actions finance leaders can take and give practical tips. Our insights are not mandatory guidance, but will complement existing guidance provided to finance teams across government.

Please note: the PDF has some interactivity that will not work in full-screen mode on your browser. To view it in full-screen mode, download the PDF to your computer and open it in Adobe Acrobat.

Financial management in government series

This guide is part of a series supporting financial management in government. We have also published:

  • Enablers of success – looks at the fundamental themes that underpin each stage of the financial management lifecycle
  • Strategic planning and budgeting – sets out how finance leaders can plan strategically and realistically in the face of an uncertain landscape

Sign up to our updates to get details of the other guides when they are published.

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