Council tax arrears by council
Councils in England and Wales were owed £7.74bn in unpaid council tax at 31 March 2026, up £837m in a single year. Look up any council below.
£7.74bn owed in unpaid council tax, 31 March 2026
+50.7% since March 2022, when it was £5.14bn
£282 owed for every home in England and Wales
+84.1% rise in Wales since March 2022, against +49.5% in England
Find a council
Select a council on the map, or search for it by name.
Shade the map by
Less owed More owed
Each shade is a fifth of councils. Darker is worse. Grey means no figure is published.
England and Wales
Select a council
Choose a council on the map, search above or pick one from the tables below to see what it is owed and how it compares.
Arrears have risen every year since 2021-22
Total council tax owed to councils in England and Wales at the end of each financial year. The figure is cumulative: it includes debts that go back several years. In England, 54% of the £7.42bn owed relates to bills from two or more years ago.
Arrears are rising faster in Wales. Welsh councils were owed £318m at 31 March 2026, up +21.0% in a year and +84.1% since March 2022. In England the rises were +11.8% and +49.5%.
Where arrears are highest
Size of the debt tracks size of the council, so these tables compare councils on arrears per home and on how much of the year’s bills they collected. Select a council for its full figures.
Highest arrears per home
Unpaid council tax divided by the number of homes in the area.
- Liverpool £890
- Middlesbrough £820
- Luton £746
- Brent £744
- Redcar & Cleveland £675
- Preston £673
- Hackney £631
- Croydon £630
- Haringey £629
- Lewisham £629
Lowest collection rate, 2025-26
Share of the year’s bills paid by 31 March.
- Liverpool 86.8%
- Manchester 88.6%
- Blackpool 90.0%
- Birmingham 90.0%
- Preston 90.7%
- Knowsley 91.0%
- Kensington & Chelsea 91.2%
- Brent 91.6%
- Lewisham 91.7%
- Nottingham 91.7%
Fastest growth since March 2022
Change in total arrears over four years. Councils formed in 2023, and those with under 10,000 homes, are left out.
- Gwynedd +177.3%
- Malvern Hills +153.4%
- Pembrokeshire +148.6%
- Ceredigion +147.1%
- Wychavon +142.2%
- Gosport +139.8%
- South Cambridgeshire +134.3%
- Monmouthshire +128.6%
- Lewes +126.1%
- Broadland +124.0%
Lowest arrears per home
The other end of the table.
- Amber Valley £34
- City of London £57
- Epsom and Ewell £58
- Warwick £64
- Cambridge £69
- Mid Suffolk £69
- Ribble Valley £70
- South Cambridgeshire £72
- Basingstoke & Deane £74
- Broadland £75
Arrears per home by region and nation
Every council in England and Wales
All 318 billing authorities (296 in England, 22 in Wales), as reported for the year to 31 March 2026. Select a column heading to sort. Download the full data (CSV).
| Liverpool North West | £217m | £890 | +11.4% | +32.9% | 86.8% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesbrough North East | £54.8m | £820 | +7.6% | +32.3% | 92.8% |
| Luton East of England | £63.8m | £746 | -2.3% | +54.2% | 96.6% |
| Brent London | £102m | £744 | +10.3% | +56.4% | 91.6% |
| Redcar & Cleveland North East | £45.3m | £675 | +11.1% | +60.0% | 92.4% |
| Preston North West | £47.9m | £673 | +8.8% | +62.7% | 90.7% |
| Hackney London | £76.5m | £631 | -4.0% | -15.2% | 93.3% |
| Croydon London | £107m | £630 | +17.5% | +100.6% | 94.3% |
| Haringey London | £72.5m | £629 | +16.3% | +75.1% | 93.2% |
| Lewisham London | £84.8m | £629 | +12.6% | +15.2% | 91.7% |
| Knowsley North West | £44.3m | £610 | +5.9% | +115.2% | 91.0% |
| Manchester North West | £153m | £593 | +2.7% | +41.6% | 88.6% |
| Birmingham West Midlands | £273m | £581 | +7.4% | +62.2% | 90.0% |
| Oldham North West | £57.8m | £580 | +12.2% | +37.1% | 93.4% |
| Bexley London | £57.6m | £565 | +11.3% | +50.1% | 94.8% |
| Greenwich London | £67.4m | £530 | +12.6% | +39.0% | 93.2% |
| Eastbourne South East | £26.4m | £529 | +16.2% | +99.2% | 96.1% |
| Barnet London | £85.3m | £523 | +19.1% | +33.6% | 92.8% |
| Slough South East | £29.8m | £518 | +19.2% | +34.4% | 92.6% |
| Hastings South East | £23.3m | £516 | +19.4% | +70.1% | 92.5% |
| Sheffield Yorkshire and the Humber | £136m | £515 | +9.5% | +50.9% | 92.8% |
| North East Lincolnshire Yorkshire and the Humber | £38.3m | £501 | +11.0% | +63.1% | 92.0% |
| West Lancashire North West | £26.1m | £493 | +12.0% | +65.0% | 93.8% |
| Thanet South East | £34.3m | £484 | +17.9% | +59.4% | 94.0% |
| Walsall West Midlands | £56.9m | £479 | +5.5% | +40.1% | 92.4% |
| Salford North West | £66.2m | £477 | +4.6% | +18.2% | 92.5% |
| Lambeth London | £71.1m | £476 | +15.1% | +41.7% | 92.4% |
| Sandwell West Midlands | £64.8m | £473 | +20.6% | +96.7% | 93.2% |
| Enfield London | £60.2m | £467 | +14.2% | +66.9% | 92.1% |
| Gravesham South East | £20.9m | £461 | +10.8% | +58.1% | 94.4% |
| Blackpool North West | £33.4m | £459 | +14.3% | +41.4% | 90.0% |
| Gosport South East | £17.3m | £457 | +11.6% | +139.8% | 94.3% |
| Hyndburn North West | £17.3m | £453 | +10.1% | +43.6% | 94.2% |
| Southwark London | £67.7m | £446 | -7.0% | +32.0% | 94.1% |
| Newham London | £59.5m | £444 | -5.5% | +49.3% | 92.5% |
| South Tyneside North East | £32.3m | £441 | +7.0% | +44.9% | 94.2% |
| Sefton North West | £58.2m | £440 | +14.0% | +61.0% | 94.4% |
| Tower Hamlets London | £66.7m | £440 | +20.0% | +85.8% | 92.1% |
| Hammersmith & Fulham London | £42.2m | £439 | +7.1% | +71.3% | 92.3% |
| St Helens North West | £37.9m | £438 | +12.2% | +57.4% | 93.8% |
| Hartlepool North East | £20.3m | £435 | +8.1% | +47.4% | 93.7% |
| Barking & Dagenham London | £35.7m | £433 | +21.5% | +8.7% | 92.4% |
| Portsmouth South East | £40.4m | £429 | +0.3% | +30.1% | 91.9% |
| Wirral North West | £64.6m | £423 | +13.6% | +78.5% | 93.2% |
| Nottingham East Midlands | £61.8m | £416 | +13.9% | +67.1% | 91.7% |
| Wolverhampton West Midlands | £47.3m | £414 | +10.3% | +43.2% | 92.2% |
| Islington London | £46.4m | £412 | +9.2% | +31.8% | 92.8% |
| Gwynedd Wales | £25.6m | £406 | +18.4% | +177.3% | 93.1% |
| Harlow East of England | £16.5m | £406 | +13.9% | +45.7% | 94.2% |
| Bury North West | £34.1m | £398 | +14.7% | +74.3% | 95.3% |
| Halton North West | £23.7m | £397 | +9.2% | +59.2% | 94.2% |
| Stockton-on-Tees North East | £36.1m | £395 | +6.2% | +33.5% | 94.7% |
| Boston East Midlands | £12.5m | £386 | +11.9% | +112.8% | 93.7% |
| Reading South East | £29.9m | £383 | +9.8% | +29.2% | 94.8% |
| Tameside North West | £40.4m | £381 | +10.6% | +19.1% | 92.7% |
| Kensington & Chelsea London | £33.8m | £376 | +60.0% | +69.7% | 91.2% |
| Waltham Forest London | £42.0m | £375 | +10.9% | +38.0% | 94.8% |
| Medway South East | £45.4m | £370 | +16.6% | +59.0% | 93.4% |
| Isle of Wight South East | £27.0m | £368 | +19.5% | +111.9% | 94.6% |
| Burnley North West | £15.8m | £366 | +22.3% | +22.1% | 94.1% |
| Hounslow London | £41.2m | £366 | +17.4% | +51.3% | 96.1% |
| Redbridge London | £39.5m | £364 | +21.4% | +63.9% | 96.5% |
| Kingston upon Hull Yorkshire and the Humber | £45.0m | £357 | +17.4% | +68.4% | 91.8% |
| Rossendale North West | £11.8m | £357 | +20.4% | +46.4% | 95.4% |
| Camden London | £40.7m | £356 | +28.2% | +43.7% | 93.0% |
| Hillingdon London | £42.4m | £356 | +9.0% | +36.5% | 96.5% |
| Lewes South East | £17.0m | £356 | +19.9% | +126.1% | 97.9% |
| Calderdale Yorkshire and the Humber | £34.2m | £350 | +16.1% | +65.8% | 95.3% |
| Pendle North West | £14.6m | £349 | +16.5% | +54.5% | 95.3% |
| North Tyneside North East | £35.5m | £346 | +5.9% | +27.4% | 95.3% |
| Swindon South West | £35.5m | £345 | +15.4% | +48.4% | 95.4% |
| Dorset South West | £64.0m | £339 | +20.8% | +81.6% | 95.1% |
| Torbay South West | £23.4m | £339 | +3.1% | +84.4% | 93.7% |
| Derby East Midlands | £38.9m | £336 | +10.2% | +31.8% | 93.4% |
| Harrow London | £32.8m | £336 | +25.5% | +96.0% | 95.7% |
| Broxbourne East of England | £14.3m | £334 | +17.6% | +77.7% | 96.9% |
| Lancaster North West | £22.6m | £334 | +5.9% | +35.7% | 93.9% |
| Sunderland North East | £44.6m | £329 | +14.0% | +59.2% | 92.4% |
| Brighton and Hove South East | £43.7m | £320 | +27.9% | +84.0% | 93.5% |
| Dover South East | £18.0m | £318 | +19.0% | +70.5% | 96.0% |
| Redditch West Midlands | £12.0m | £315 | +7.7% | +42.7% | 96.0% |
| Leeds Yorkshire and the Humber | £119m | £313 | +18.2% | +79.4% | 93.8% |
| Lincoln East Midlands | £15.0m | £313 | +11.4% | +66.1% | 94.1% |
| Tendring East of England | £24.0m | £313 | +11.8% | +43.2% | 94.8% |
| Watford East of England | £13.4m | £309 | +3.7% | +78.8% | 95.5% |
| North Lincolnshire Yorkshire and the Humber | £24.1m | £307 | +8.5% | +46.2% | 95.0% |
| Stevenage East of England | £12.0m | £307 | +7.6% | +67.9% | 94.8% |
| Hertsmere East of England | £14.1m | £306 | +5.3% | +64.4% | 96.4% |
| Leicester East Midlands | £44.5m | £306 | +15.9% | +52.4% | 92.7% |
| Havering London | £33.2m | £304 | -0.7% | +36.0% | 95.7% |
| Pembrokeshire Wales | £19.5m | £304 | +55.8% | +148.6% | 94.0% |
| Swale South East | £20.6m | £303 | +16.0% | +99.8% | 94.8% |
| Basildon East of England | £24.2m | £300 | +8.1% | +31.2% | 96.3% |
| Gateshead North East | £28.4m | £296 | +7.0% | +40.8% | 94.0% |
| Southampton South East | £32.7m | £293 | +6.7% | +23.6% | 93.3% |
| Bolton North West | £38.0m | £292 | +9.9% | +50.2% | 93.7% |
| Stoke-on-Trent West Midlands | £35.2m | £292 | +9.5% | +50.9% | 95.0% |
| Welwyn Hatfield East of England | £14.8m | £291 | +4.0% | +39.5% | 97.2% |
| Rochdale North West | £28.4m | £288 | +12.7% | +43.0% | 93.8% |
| Merthyr Tydfil Wales | £7.9m | £286 | +9.6% | +17.1% | 94.3% |
| Bedford East of England | £23.1m | £284 | +8.2% | +56.3% | 96.5% |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole South West | £53.9m | £283 | +18.2% | +48.7% | 94.8% |
| Doncaster Yorkshire and the Humber | £40.9m | £281 | +10.4% | +43.1% | 93.9% |
| Bridgend Wales | £18.6m | £280 | +17.6% | +70.3% | 94.8% |
| Bristol South West | £60.0m | £280 | +11.4% | +53.6% | 93.5% |
| Canterbury South East | £20.4m | £280 | +23.0% | +96.1% | 95.9% |
| Peterborough East of England | £26.0m | £280 | +21.9% | +31.8% | 94.3% |
| Maidstone South East | £22.1m | £279 | +19.7% | +75.2% | 96.2% |
| Blaenau Gwent Wales | £9.3m | £278 | +10.1% | +25.1% | 94.5% |
| Warrington North West | £27.1m | £278 | +13.5% | +49.5% | 96.2% |
| Bassetlaw East Midlands | £16.1m | £277 | +16.5% | +48.2% | 94.7% |
| Epping Forest East of England | £16.3m | £277 | +5.1% | +53.7% | 96.8% |
| Cannock Chase West Midlands | £12.7m | £275 | +7.1% | +32.1% | 96.8% |
| Chelmsford East of England | £22.6m | £275 | +14.0% | +67.5% | 96.6% |
| Westminster London | £36.3m | £275 | +14.2% | +3.6% | 93.3% |
| Blackburn with Darwen North West | £17.5m | £271 | +5.1% | +14.5% | 95.3% |
| Dartford South East | £13.8m | £269 | +10.8% | +40.1% | 95.5% |
| Richmond upon Thames London | £23.1m | £269 | +5.1% | +14.1% | 98.1% |
| Wigan North West | £41.5m | £268 | +12.0% | +45.7% | 94.9% |
| North Northamptonshire East Midlands | £43.3m | £265 | +16.9% | +55.8% | 94.8% |
| Norwich East of England | £18.2m | £263 | +6.4% | +49.0% | 93.8% |
| East Staffordshire West Midlands | £14.8m | £259 | +23.0% | +63.0% | 95.2% |
| Swansea Wales | £30.1m | £258 | +14.7% | +55.2% | 94.2% |
| Bracknell Forest South East | £14.1m | £255 | +17.1% | +77.7% | 97.0% |
| Worthing South East | £13.3m | £254 | +19.3% | +72.8% | 96.1% |
| Bromley London | £36.4m | £253 | +12.7% | +60.0% | 96.8% |
| Merton London | £22.2m | £253 | +21.3% | +74.3% | 95.4% |
| East Lindsey East Midlands | £18.5m | £252 | +10.1% | +92.9% | 95.5% |
| Havant South East | £14.5m | £251 | +9.4% | +49.6% | 96.4% |
| Adur South East | £7.3m | £249 | +19.7% | +84.9% | 96.0% |
| Isles of Scilly South West | £0.3m | £246 | +38.5% | +188.0% | 95.3% |
| Windsor & Maidenhead South East | £16.7m | £246 | +17.7% | +64.7% | 96.8% |
| Wyre North West | £14.0m | £246 | +8.3% | +56.5% | 96.3% |
| Sutton London | £21.0m | £243 | +19.0% | +63.9% | 97.9% |
| Isle of Anglesey Wales | £8.8m | £242 | +19.5% | +115.9% | 95.3% |
| West Northamptonshire East Midlands | £45.1m | £241 | +15.3% | +78.8% | 96.4% |
| Coventry West Midlands | £36.9m | £240 | +4.2% | +54.3% | 93.4% |
| Wakefield Yorkshire and the Humber | £39.9m | £240 | +9.8% | +24.8% | 94.8% |
| Carmarthenshire Wales | £21.4m | £236 | +21.4% | +86.4% | 96.0% |
| Somerset South West | £64.5m | £236 | +24.7% | n/a | 95.5% |
| Ealing London | £35.4m | £234 | +7.8% | +15.2% | 95.9% |
| Ipswich East of England | £14.7m | £234 | +20.1% | +49.2% | 95.4% |
| Torfaen Wales | £10.2m | £234 | +9.7% | +59.5% | 94.5% |
| Guildford South East | £14.7m | £233 | +10.7% | +60.2% | 97.5% |
| Rugby West Midlands | £12.1m | £231 | +7.4% | +63.2% | 96.5% |
| Dudley West Midlands | £32.9m | £230 | +25.6% | +81.4% | 94.9% |
| Durham North East | £59.0m | £229 | +7.8% | +50.1% | 95.1% |
| South Oxfordshire South East | £15.4m | £227 | +11.8% | +44.5% | 97.7% |
| Bradford Yorkshire and the Humber | £51.0m | £226 | +11.7% | +48.3% | 93.5% |
| Newport Wales | £16.1m | £223 | +21.6% | +64.3% | 95.1% |
| Vale of Glamorgan Wales | £13.8m | £220 | +21.8% | +106.7% | 95.3% |
| Ceredigion Wales | £8.0m | £219 | +27.4% | +147.1% | 94.9% |
| East Hertfordshire East of England | £15.1m | £219 | +10.1% | +90.0% | 96.9% |
| Monmouthshire Wales | £9.8m | £219 | +15.8% | +128.6% | 95.8% |
| Gloucester South West | £13.2m | £217 | +7.2% | +46.1% | 96.5% |
| Kirklees Yorkshire and the Humber | £41.9m | £216 | +14.3% | +78.7% | 94.2% |
| Wrexham Wales | £13.5m | £216 | +11.7% | +71.5% | 95.6% |
| Fenland East of England | £10.4m | £214 | +14.5% | +60.9% | 95.7% |
| Vale of White Horse South East | £14.1m | £213 | +16.6% | +49.6% | 97.4% |
| Conwy Wales | £12.4m | £212 | +36.4% | +109.2% | 95.6% |
| North Somerset South West | £21.6m | £211 | +13.6% | +65.1% | 98.0% |
| Brentwood East of England | £7.5m | £210 | +12.2% | +36.6% | 97.3% |
| Shropshire West Midlands | £32.2m | £210 | +14.4% | +74.0% | 97.4% |
| Ashfield East Midlands | £12.2m | £209 | +12.5% | +63.1% | 96.1% |
| Charnwood East Midlands | £16.8m | £209 | +22.4% | +106.5% | 96.0% |
| South Ribble North West | £11.0m | £208 | +8.2% | +58.6% | 96.3% |
| Three Rivers East of England | £8.1m | £206 | +6.7% | +74.3% | 97.5% |
| Cheshire West and Chester North West | £34.4m | £205 | +11.1% | +50.3% | 96.8% |
| South Holland East Midlands | £9.3m | £204 | +14.1% | +97.9% | 96.1% |
| North Warwickshire West Midlands | £6.1m | £203 | +0.7% | +21.6% | 97.0% |
| Waverley South East | £11.7m | £201 | +16.2% | +64.8% | 97.7% |
| Torridge South West | £7.0m | £199 | +21.7% | +105.3% | 96.3% |
| Cumberland North West | £27.5m | £198 | +16.0% | n/a | 95.9% |
| Exeter South West | £12.2m | £198 | +21.8% | +76.0% | 95.5% |
| Folkestone & Hythe South East | £10.7m | £198 | +13.4% | +28.5% | 96.4% |
| Cardiff Wales | £32.8m | £195 | +25.7% | +89.5% | 94.4% |
| Spelthorne South East | £8.8m | £195 | +18.4% | +40.2% | 96.8% |
| Stafford West Midlands | £12.6m | £195 | +11.1% | +49.9% | 97.5% |
| Erewash East Midlands | £10.3m | £194 | +13.9% | +20.2% | 95.4% |
| Tandridge South East | £7.5m | £194 | +13.9% | +29.2% | 97.9% |
| Fylde North West | £8.1m | £193 | +7.8% | +30.1% | 96.7% |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme West Midlands | £11.3m | £193 | +18.1% | +58.3% | 96.8% |
| North West Leicestershire East Midlands | £9.7m | £193 | +17.6% | +55.8% | 97.1% |
| Northumberland North East | £31.7m | £193 | +20.1% | +99.4% | 96.5% |
| Plymouth South West | £23.8m | £193 | +20.7% | +74.7% | 95.8% |
| West Devon South West | £5.3m | £190 | +11.8% | +8.4% | 98.1% |
| Trafford North West | £19.7m | £188 | +14.3% | +61.3% | 96.7% |
| Rother South East | £8.8m | £186 | +16.4% | +90.9% | 96.9% |
| Arun South East | £14.9m | £185 | +15.2% | +72.2% | 96.4% |
| North East Derbyshire East Midlands | £9.2m | £185 | +3.6% | +13.1% | 96.8% |
| Oadby & Wigston East Midlands | £4.6m | £185 | -3.6% | +46.4% | 97.0% |
| Solihull West Midlands | £17.8m | £185 | +14.9% | +92.3% | 97.0% |
| West Lindsey East Midlands | £8.7m | £184 | +6.6% | +39.6% | 97.7% |
| Woking South East | £8.3m | £184 | +7.8% | +72.7% | 97.9% |
| Bromsgrove West Midlands | £7.9m | £183 | +8.5% | +53.8% | 97.8% |
| Tunbridge Wells South East | £9.8m | £183 | +17.9% | +71.5% | 97.4% |
| Gedling East Midlands | £10.2m | £182 | +15.8% | +85.6% | 97.3% |
| Powys Wales | £12.3m | £182 | +26.0% | +119.5% | 96.0% |
| Nuneaton & Bedworth West Midlands | £11.3m | £181 | +17.4% | +54.6% | 96.7% |
| Rushmoor South East | £7.8m | £181 | +6.9% | +45.0% | 98.0% |
| Dacorum East of England | £12.4m | £180 | +22.6% | +34.7% | 97.2% |
| North Devon South West | £8.9m | £179 | +19.4% | +56.4% | 96.2% |
| Cornwall South West | £51.3m | £178 | +19.1% | +59.0% | 96.6% |
| Kingston upon Thames London | £12.5m | £177 | +15.9% | +56.5% | 98.1% |
| Ashford South East | £10.5m | £176 | -1.0% | +38.7% | 96.6% |
| Chesterfield East Midlands | £9.1m | £176 | +4.1% | +26.6% | 96.3% |
| Eastleigh South East | £10.8m | £175 | +13.3% | +47.2% | 97.1% |
| Tonbridge & Malling South East | £10.1m | £174 | -1.8% | +78.4% | 97.5% |
| Mansfield East Midlands | £8.9m | £172 | +8.1% | +32.0% | 96.5% |
| Wealden South East | £13.1m | £172 | +5.3% | +17.2% | 97.4% |
| Buckinghamshire UA South East | £40.6m | £169 | +13.3% | +23.3% | 98.1% |
| Westmorland and Furness North West | £19.9m | £169 | +21.2% | n/a | 96.5% |
| Central Bedfordshire East of England | £22.9m | £168 | +4.5% | +10.8% | 97.5% |
| Newark & Sherwood East Midlands | £9.9m | £167 | +9.9% | +38.0% | 97.1% |
| Great Yarmouth East of England | £8.4m | £166 | +13.0% | +5.2% | 95.4% |
| Southend-on-Sea East of England | £13.8m | £166 | +12.7% | +54.6% | 96.9% |
| Tamworth West Midlands | £5.8m | £166 | +14.8% | +74.1% | 97.5% |
| Telford & Wrekin West Midlands | £14.1m | £164 | +18.1% | +61.1% | 96.9% |
| Worcester West Midlands | £7.8m | £163 | +2.6% | +106.8% | 96.2% |
| Castle Point East of England | £6.4m | £162 | -5.8% | +3.6% | 97.9% |
| Hinckley & Bosworth East Midlands | £8.6m | £162 | +18.3% | +56.8% | 97.5% |
| Test Valley South East | £9.6m | £162 | +8.1% | +59.2% | 98.2% |
| Forest of Dean South West | £6.6m | £161 | +32.6% | +87.8% | 96.4% |
| Chorley North West | £8.6m | £160 | +8.7% | +48.3% | 96.7% |
| Caerphilly Wales | £12.8m | £158 | +17.5% | +62.0% | 95.3% |
| West Oxfordshire South East | £8.6m | £158 | +8.3% | +18.3% | 97.9% |
| Cheshire East North West | £30.4m | £157 | +9.0% | +26.3% | 97.5% |
| Derbyshire Dales East Midlands | £5.6m | £157 | +16.1% | +90.7% | 97.4% |
| Wandsworth London | £24.9m | £156 | +19.2% | +45.7% | 97.0% |
| Bolsover East Midlands | £6.1m | £154 | +2.3% | +43.7% | 97.1% |
| Mid Devon South West | £6.0m | £153 | +10.6% | +20.9% | 97.3% |
| Mole Valley South East | £6.1m | £153 | +19.8% | +91.1% | 98.0% |
| Reigate & Banstead South East | £10.0m | £153 | +8.8% | +17.8% | 97.9% |
| West Suffolk East of England | £13.0m | £153 | +11.2% | +52.9% | 96.7% |
| Crawley South East | £7.2m | £152 | +12.7% | +78.2% | 97.1% |
| Wyre Forest West Midlands | £7.5m | £152 | +7.5% | +47.5% | 97.2% |
| Sevenoaks South East | £8.0m | £151 | +11.9% | +22.6% | 97.8% |
| South Hams South West | £7.3m | £151 | +11.9% | +14.2% | 98.5% |
| Colchester East of England | £13.1m | £150 | +13.1% | +54.4% | 97.6% |
| South Derbyshire East Midlands | £7.8m | £150 | +1.5% | +12.9% | 98.2% |
| Breckland East of England | £10.0m | £149 | +11.4% | +57.0% | 96.9% |
| East Suffolk East of England | £18.4m | £149 | +9.4% | +47.8% | 97.3% |
| St Albans East of England | £9.5m | £149 | +12.8% | +52.3% | 98.8% |
| Stockport North West | £20.1m | £149 | +12.1% | +27.5% | 97.3% |
| South Kesteven East Midlands | £10.1m | £148 | +3.7% | +88.9% | 98.3% |
| Darlington North East | £7.9m | £146 | +3.7% | +5.2% | 96.5% |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf Wales | £16.4m | £146 | +13.5% | +78.2% | 96.0% |
| Blaby East Midlands | £6.5m | £145 | +10.7% | +65.7% | 97.4% |
| North Yorkshire Yorkshire and the Humber | £44.6m | £145 | +34.2% | n/a | 96.7% |
| Braintree East of England | £10.2m | £143 | +11.0% | +41.8% | 97.4% |
| Hart South East | £6.2m | £143 | +14.2% | +46.1% | 98.3% |
| Cherwell South East | £10.3m | £141 | +15.7% | +43.0% | 97.8% |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Yorkshire and the Humber | £23.6m | £140 | +8.8% | +60.3% | 97.0% |
| Harborough East Midlands | £6.4m | £140 | +22.9% | +79.3% | 97.8% |
| Rotherham Yorkshire and the Humber | £17.2m | £140 | +9.4% | +37.2% | 96.7% |
| Rutland East Midlands | £2.6m | £140 | +14.0% | +45.0% | 97.5% |
| Chichester South East | £8.6m | £139 | +20.2% | +43.0% | 97.1% |
| Melton East Midlands | £3.6m | £139 | +14.4% | +119.1% | 98.0% |
| Mid Sussex South East | £9.8m | £138 | +11.4% | +91.4% | 98.0% |
| Newcastle upon Tyne North East | £19.6m | £138 | +29.1% | +58.9% | 96.0% |
| Runnymede South East | £5.5m | £137 | +20.6% | +84.2% | 97.5% |
| Kings Lynn & West Norfolk East of England | £10.5m | £136 | +13.4% | +71.0% | 97.1% |
| North Hertfordshire East of England | £8.2m | £136 | -17.2% | +32.2% | 97.0% |
| Herefordshire West Midlands | £12.3m | £135 | +3.1% | +50.0% | 97.4% |
| South Gloucestershire South West | £17.6m | £135 | +7.5% | +34.3% | 97.3% |
| Bath & North East Somerset South West | £11.7m | £134 | +19.3% | +98.1% | 96.5% |
| East Cambridgeshire East of England | £5.6m | £134 | +13.7% | +79.0% | 97.5% |
| Teignbridge South West | £8.8m | £134 | +6.6% | +56.4% | 97.8% |
| Winchester South East | £8.0m | £134 | +11.7% | +37.0% | 98.2% |
| Denbighshire Wales | £6.2m | £133 | +30.5% | +93.5% | 96.9% |
| North Kesteven East Midlands | £7.4m | £133 | +14.2% | +74.3% | 98.0% |
| Wiltshire South West | £30.9m | £132 | +12.0% | +62.2% | 97.5% |
| York Yorkshire and the Humber | £12.5m | £132 | +11.4% | +18.9% | 97.5% |
| Oxford South East | £8.4m | £131 | +23.7% | +103.3% | 95.1% |
| Barnsley Yorkshire and the Humber | £15.2m | £130 | +17.9% | +30.1% | 96.2% |
| Cotswold South West | £6.0m | £130 | +17.9% | +18.3% | 97.9% |
| Thurrock East of England | £9.2m | £130 | +18.1% | +112.8% | 97.3% |
| Tewkesbury South West | £6.0m | £127 | +3.2% | +42.2% | 98.5% |
| Elmbridge South East | £7.7m | £126 | +1.7% | +63.1% | 98.2% |
| Lichfield West Midlands | £6.2m | £124 | +15.2% | +68.5% | 98.1% |
| Maldon East of England | £3.7m | £120 | +21.6% | +13.3% | 98.0% |
| Wychavon West Midlands | £7.5m | £119 | +5.5% | +142.2% | 97.5% |
| Fareham South East | £6.1m | £118 | +21.1% | +53.2% | 97.8% |
| Stroud South West | £6.7m | £116 | +20.7% | +6.0% | 97.7% |
| Malvern Hills West Midlands | £4.5m | £115 | +7.2% | +153.4% | 97.5% |
| Uttlesford East of England | £4.8m | £115 | +8.1% | +36.3% | 98.5% |
| Milton Keynes South East | £14.4m | £112 | +17.5% | +68.1% | 96.5% |
| Surrey Heath South East | £4.3m | £110 | -10.4% | +17.5% | 99.1% |
| Rochford East of England | £4.2m | £108 | +15.0% | +54.5% | 98.2% |
| Huntingdonshire East of England | £8.7m | £102 | +11.0% | +63.7% | 98.0% |
| High Peak East Midlands | £4.5m | £101 | +15.7% | +45.8% | 98.0% |
| Flintshire Wales | £7.2m | £100 | +13.2% | +55.0% | 97.2% |
| Horsham South East | £6.7m | £100 | +13.9% | +48.3% | 98.2% |
| Broxtowe East Midlands | £5.2m | £98 | +7.8% | +19.5% | 97.8% |
| South Staffordshire West Midlands | £4.8m | £97 | +10.2% | +45.5% | 97.8% |
| Staffordshire Moorlands West Midlands | £4.0m | £89 | +15.6% | +36.6% | 98.4% |
| South Norfolk East of England | £6.0m | £88 | +10.8% | +66.2% | 97.7% |
| Babergh East of England | £3.9m | £87 | +23.1% | +44.3% | 98.3% |
| East Hampshire South East | £5.0m | £87 | +22.1% | +65.0% | 98.2% |
| Stratford-on-Avon West Midlands | £5.9m | £87 | +4.4% | +25.0% | 97.7% |
| East Devon South West | £6.5m | £86 | +19.7% | +79.8% | 98.2% |
| North Norfolk East of England | £4.9m | £85 | +9.6% | +32.8% | 98.3% |
| Neath Port Talbot Wales | £5.7m | £84 | +36.7% | +52.6% | 97.3% |
| Wokingham South East | £6.3m | £83 | +21.5% | +96.3% | 98.9% |
| Rushcliffe East Midlands | £4.6m | £81 | +15.6% | +78.7% | 99.1% |
| Cheltenham South West | £4.6m | £79 | +11.3% | +32.1% | 98.0% |
| West Berkshire South East | £5.8m | £79 | -69.3% | -57.1% | 97.2% |
| New Forest South East | £6.3m | £76 | +13.0% | +46.3% | 98.5% |
| Broadland East of England | £4.8m | £75 | +21.3% | +124.0% | 98.1% |
| Basingstoke & Deane South East | £6.1m | £74 | +2.9% | +18.5% | 98.2% |
| South Cambridgeshire East of England | £5.5m | £72 | +131.9% | +134.3% | 98.2% |
| Ribble Valley North West | £2.1m | £70 | +5.0% | +11.9% | 99.6% |
| Cambridge East of England | £4.2m | £69 | +27.0% | -23.0% | 98.1% |
| Mid Suffolk East of England | £3.6m | £69 | +16.1% | +30.6% | 98.7% |
| Warwick West Midlands | £4.5m | £64 | -0.3% | +58.6% | 98.1% |
| Epsom and Ewell South East | £1.9m | £58 | +6.2% | -19.6% | 99.0% |
| City of London London | £0.5m | £57 | +61.4% | -22.9% | 98.1% |
| Amber Valley East Midlands | £2.1m | £34 | +21.6% | +48.9% | 98.5% |
Next: liability orders and bailiffs
The government publishes what each council is owed, but not what it does to recover it. Nobody publishes, council by council, how many people are taken to the magistrates’ court for a liability order, how many debts are passed to bailiffs, or what each council adds in court costs.
Those figures can only be collected from each council under the Freedom of Information Act. This page will be updated with them as the answers come in.
About the data
Sources
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Collection rates and receipts of council tax and non-domestic rates in England, 2025-26 (Table 9, QRC4 returns), revised 31 July 2026, and the same table for 2021-22 to 2024-25.
- Welsh Government, Council tax collection by billing authority (StatsWales), 2021-22 to 2025-26, updated 11 June 2026.
- Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties, 2026 (table CTSOP1.0, as at 31 March 2026).
- Map boundaries: ONS, Local Authority Districts May 2024 Boundaries UK BUC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.
What the measures mean
- Owed is the total council tax outstanding at 31 March 2026, for all years. In England it is line 24 of each council’s return, which includes court and administration costs added to accounts. In Wales it is the amount outstanding at 31 March, for the year’s bills and for arrears, as reported to the Welsh Government.
- Per home divides that by the number of homes on the council tax valuation list in the area. It is an average across every home, not the amount owed by people in arrears.
- Collected is the in-year collection rate: the share of 2025-26 bills paid by 31 March 2026.
- 1 year and Since 2022 compare the arrears figure with the same council’s figure at 31 March 2025 and March 2022.
Things to bear in mind
- Figures are as reported by councils. A council that changes how it records old debts or writes them off can see its arrears move sharply in one year for reasons that have nothing to do with residents.
- The government notes that court and administration costs are probably under-counted, because some councils report only the costs added in the year rather than the total.
- Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness, North Yorkshire and Somerset were formed in April 2023, so they have no figure for March 2022. The Isles of Scilly and the City of London have so few homes that their percentage changes swing on small sums; they are left out of the growth ranking.
- West Berkshire reported more old arrears than total arrears, so its share of older debt is not shown.
- Wales does not report court costs or how old its arrears are, so those figures are shown for English councils only.
- Scotland publishes collection rates for each council but not the amount owed in pounds, and measures unpaid amounts before write-offs, so it is not included.
Using these figures
You are welcome to use these figures in reporting. Please credit Council Tax Helpline and link to this page. The source data is published under the Open Government Licence.
Data from the 2025-26 returns. Compiled 12 October 2026.
Last reviewed: