How the Budget Works

A short guide to how the national budget is made, approved and spent.

What the budget is

The national budget is the government's plan for its income (mainly taxes) and spending for the coming financial year. [TO VERIFY: the exact financial year dates in current use before publishing.]

The basic cycle

1. Preparation: the Ministry of Finance, working with other ministries, prepares budget proposals based on revenue estimates and spending needs.
2. Presentation: the Finance Minister presents the budget to parliament.
3. Debate and approval: parliament debates the budget and votes to approve it, usually with some amendments, before the new financial year begins.
4. Implementation: once approved, ministries spend according to their allocations, subject to procurement rules and other controls.
5. Audit: spending is later reviewed by audit bodies to check it matched what was approved and was properly accounted for.

Where the money comes from and goes

Revenue mainly comes from taxes; spending is split between development spending (projects, infrastructure) and non-development or recurring spending (salaries, running costs, debt payments).

Why it matters for accountability

The budget shows what the government says its priorities are, and later spending data shows what actually happened. Comparing the two is one of the most direct ways to hold government to account. See Government Spending and Public Money Watch.

Where to look further

Government Spending data · Budgets · Report public money misuse