Birmingham
How Birmingham Council compares with councils in West Midlands, on 21 measures from official statistics.
- Residents
- 1,176,960
- Band D council tax
- £2,363 a year See where it goes
- Children's services
- Good (Ofsted, 2023)
Where Birmingham sits on 21 measures
Compares worst on
- complaints the Ombudsman upheld, per 100,000 residents (11th of 11; 1st is lowest)
- complaints that reached the Ombudsman, per 100,000 residents (11th of 11; 1st is lowest)
- tenants satisfied with the overall service (6th of 6; 1st is highest)
Compares best on
- council website accessibility score (1st of 11; 1st is highest)
- people at risk of homelessness helped to keep or find a home (4th of 11; 1st is highest)
- tenants' complaints answered on time (3rd of 7; 1st is highest)
Councils serve very different places, so a low position can reflect more need or less money, not only how well a council is run. About the figures
Where your council tax goes
Choose your band to see what your bill in Birmingham pays for in 2026-27. Check your council tax band on GOV.UK.
Your bill: £2,363 a year, about £45.44 a week (Band D).
Who your bill goes to
| Goes to | A year | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham council | £2,023 | 86% |
| Parish or town council (average across the area) | £10 | 0% |
| Police | £244 | 10% |
| Fire and rescue | £85 | 4% |
What the council's share pays for
The council's part of your bill, £2,023, split in the same proportions as the council's own spending in 2025-26, not counting schools.
| Service | A year | A week | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £732 | £14.07 | 36% |
| Children's social care | £527 | £10.14 | 26% |
| Public health | £166 | £3.20 | 8% |
| Bins, streets, parks and environment | £161 | £3.10 | 8% |
| Roads and transport | £147 | £2.83 | 7% |
| Housing and homelessness | £129 | £2.47 | 6% |
| Libraries, culture and leisure | £103 | £1.98 | 5% |
| Running the council | £59 | £1.13 | 3% |
Planning and development brought in more than it cost, mostly from parking, so it is not shown.
Council tax is only part of the money
In 2025-26, council tax paid for 15% of what Birmingham council spent on day-to-day services, including schools. Most government grants can only be spent on what they are given for, such as schools, housing benefit or public health.
- Business rates: 18%
- Council tax: 15%
- Government grants: 67%
How the council does
Each measure ranks Birmingham among councils in West Midlands. Open a section for the figures, and a chart of where every council in England sits.
Special educational needs
Below the middle
- Special educational needs plans issued on time 37.1% Below the middle
Figures and charts for special educational needs
Education, health and care plans set out support for children with special educational needs. The law says a new plan should be issued within 20 weeks.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special educational needs plans issued on time New education, health and care (EHC) plans issued within the legal limit of 20 weeks. 2025 | 37.1% | 37.6% | 7th of 11 |
Ombudsman complaints
3 of 4 measures in the bottom quarter
- Complaints the Ombudsman upheld, per 100,000 residents 9.6 Bottom quarter
- Complaints that reached the Ombudsman, per 100,000 residents 63.5 Bottom quarter
- Upheld complaints the council had already put right 8.0% Bottom quarter
- Ombudsman's recommendations carried out on time 76.6% Below the middle
Figures and charts for ombudsman complaints
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman looks at complaints the council's own complaints process has not resolved. Upheld means the Ombudsman found the council at fault.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints the Ombudsman upheld, per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 9.6 | 4 | 11th of 11 | |
| Complaints that reached the Ombudsman, per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 63.5 | 36.5 | 11th of 11 | |
| Upheld complaints the council had already put right Upheld cases where the council provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman. 2025-26 | 8.0% | 11.7% | 8th of 10 | |
| Ombudsman's recommendations carried out on time Compliance outcomes recorded as delivered on time. 2025-26 | 76.6% | 79.2% | 6th of 10 |
Council housing
5 of 7 measures in the bottom quarter
- Tenants satisfied with the overall service 58.5% Bottom quarter
- Tenants who say their home is well maintained 54.7% Bottom quarter
- Tenants who say their home is safe 64.1% Bottom quarter
- Tenants who say the council listens and acts 49.9% Bottom quarter
- Routine repairs done on time 82.6% Below the middle
- Council homes below the Decent Homes Standard 71.8% Bottom quarter
- Tenants' complaints answered on time 82.5% Top half
Figures and charts for council housing
From the tenant survey and performance figures every council landlord reports to the Regulator of Social Housing. Only councils that still own council homes are included.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP01. 2024-25 | 58.5% | 68.2% | 6th of 6 | |
| Tenants who say their home is well maintained Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP04. 2024-25 | 54.7% | 68.8% | 6th of 6 | |
| Tenants who say their home is safe Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP05. 2024-25 | 64.1% | 75.4% | 6th of 6 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP06. 2024-25 | 49.9% | 57.8% | 6th of 6 | |
| Routine repairs done on time Non-emergency responsive repairs completed within target (RP02). 2024-25 | 82.6% | 82.6% | 4th of 7 | |
| Council homes below the Decent Homes Standard Homes that do not meet the Decent Homes Standard (RP01). 2024-25 | 71.8% | 1.8% | 7th of 7 | |
| Tenants' complaints answered on time Stage 1 complaints responded to within the Housing Ombudsman's timescales (CH02). 2024-25 | 82.5% | 74.7% | 3rd of 7 |
Council tax
Bottom quarter
- Council tax collected in the year it was due 90.0% Bottom quarter
Figures and charts for council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 90.0% | 94.9% | 11th of 11 |
Streets and waste
1 of 3 measures in the bottom quarter
- Fly-tipping incidents, per 1,000 residents 21 Below the middle
- Enforcement actions, per 100 fly-tipping incidents 9.9 Below the middle
- Household waste reused, recycled or composted 22.7% Bottom quarter
Figures and charts for streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents, per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 21 | 19.7 | 7th of 11 | |
| Enforcement actions, per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 9.9 | 45.9 | 8th of 11 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 22.7% | 37.2% | 11th of 11 |
Homelessness
3 of 4 measures in the bottom quarter
- Households in temporary accommodation, per 1,000 households 11.9 Bottom quarter
- Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more 31.6% Bottom quarter
- People at risk of homelessness helped to keep or find a home 58.4% Top half
- Homeless people helped to find a home 22.0% Bottom quarter
Figures and charts for homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation, per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 11.9 | 1.7 | 11th of 11 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 31.6% | 6.5% | 11th of 11 | |
| People at risk of homelessness helped to keep or find a home Prevention duty cases ending with accommodation secured for 6 months or more. January to March 2026 | 58.4% | 52.1% | 4th of 11 | |
| Homeless people helped to find a home Relief duty cases ending with accommodation secured for 6 months or more. January to March 2026 | 22.0% | 29.1% | 9th of 11 |
Website
Top half
- Council website accessibility score 96.6% Top half
Figures and charts for website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council website accessibility score Silktide Index WCAG 2.2 AA score. October 2026 | 96.6% | 91.2% | 1st of 11 |
What the council spends
£1,285 per resident in 2025-26, not counting schools. The median is £1,227.
Spending by service
Net spending per resident, after fees, charges and specific grants. Spending more is not better or worse on its own. Negative highways figures come from parking income.
| Service | Birmingham | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £331 | £340 | 6th of 9 | |
| Adult social care | £459 | £500 | 8th of 9 | |
| Public health | £104 | £82 | 2nd of 9 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £81 | £42 | 1st of 9 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £101 | £100 | 3rd of 9 | |
| Highways and transport | £92 | £40 | 1st of 9 | |
| Culture and leisure | £65 | £35 | 2nd of 9 | |
| Planning and development | −£6 | £25 | 9th of 9 | |
| Central services | £37 | £44 | 7th of 9 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,285 | £1,227 | 3rd of 9 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Birmingham’s children's services good in February 2023.
How other councils were rated
- Outstanding
- 4 of the 11 councils in West Midlands
- Good
- 5 of the 11 councils in West Midlands, including Birmingham
- Requires improvement
- 2 of the 11 councils in West Midlands
- Inadequate
- 0 of the 11 councils in West Midlands
Over time
Birmingham against the median of councils in West Midlands.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Birmingham: 37.1%
- Median (councils in West Midlands): 37.6%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Birmingham: 9.6
- Median (councils in West Midlands): 4
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Birmingham: 22.7%
- Median (councils in West Midlands): 37.2%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Birmingham: 21
- Median (councils in West Midlands): 19.7
How to read these figures
Position 1 is the best in the group. The bottom quarter is shown in red, below the middle in yellow and the top half in green. Councils with the same figure share a position.
In each chart, every mark is a council in England and the large dot is Birmingham. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.