Ed Balls est né le 25 février 1967 à Norfolk, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni. Il est marié avec Yvette Cooper depuis le 10 janvier 1998. Lui et Yvette Cooper ont trois enfants.
[2013; admitting that in 20 years of knowing Labour leader Ed Miliband he has never once been to the pub with him] I've known Ed 20 years and I can't think that I've ever been... Different people like different places, and I was last in the pub yesterday... I don't know if he likes the pub or not.