NATIONAL parks across the UK will receive additional funding to support their increasing costs.

The Secretary of State for the Environment Therese Coffey announced England's National Parks will receive an additional one-off payment this financial year to support their increasing costs.

£4.4 million will be provided to the country’s 10 National Park Authorities.

Tony Gates, chief executive officer of Northumberland National Park Authority, said: “This one-off funding is very welcome, at a time when Northumberland National Park Authority faces significant financial pressures over the medium-term due to the ongoing flat-cash annual settlement from Defra."

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"Each of the 10 National Parks in England will receive the same one-off amount, meaning for those least funded authorities, of which Northumberland National Park is one, the funding is helping most those closest to the financial cliff edge.

"The Authority and its partners launched a new Management Plan for the National Park this week, and the Plan outlines a bold and ambitious long-term vision for the Park as a key asset to deliver on some of the biggest challenges that face society – including biodiversity loss, climate change and our health and wellbeing.

"The extra funding gives Northumberland National Park Authority some time to reconsider plans to balance its budget and to maintain the momentum we have built up over many years. It will also create some flexibility to allow us to invest in the priorities in the Authority’s new Business plan which is due to be approved by our board of members in March 2023.

"Whilst we welcome this news, we want to emphasise that it is one -off funding and will need to be backed by adequate funding for National Parks over the medium and longer term.

"Due to the current funding formula for the National Parks grant, Northumberland National Park Authority does not receive its fair share of funding compared to other National Parks in England and this still needs to be addressed.”

The Park's new Management Plan outlines a long-term vision helping secure its future as a key asset to deliver on some of society's biggest challenges, which include biodiversity loss, climate change and our health and wellbeing.