0 to make sure that a sum of money is protected and only used for a particular purpose; to protect a particular area of spending so that there is no reduction in the amount spent on it:
Over £500 million was ring-fenced for improvements to the transport system.
The following ring-fenced areas account for around 46 percent of total departmental spending.
1 something that protects a sum of money or area of spending so that it cannot be reduced or is kept separate from other amounts or areas:
The company established a ring-fence around losses dating from 2012.
2 to protect an amount of money so that it can only be used for a particular purpose:
We should try to ring-fence manufacturing investment and research and development so that it is not squeezed out by dividends.
The quid pro quo is that local government must ring-fence its share as well.
The principle is conceded in the amendments, but he seeks to ring-fence them by allowing them only on an appeal.
He wants to remove capping but to ring-fence each of the budgets.
In practice, it will be extremely difficult to ring-fence the capping principle on a geographical basis.
We shall ring-fence funds so that we can be accountable.
If we ring-fence this item, we may as well ring-fence every local government service.
We must ring-fence it and ensure that it is spent properly.
