Milton Keynes
How Milton Keynes Council compares with councils in South East, on 21 measures from official statistics.
- Residents
- 308,866
- Band D council tax
- £2,372 a year See where it goes
- Children's services
- Good (Ofsted, 2024)
Where Milton Keynes sits on 21 measures
Compares worst on
- special educational needs plans issued on time (12th of 12; 1st is highest)
- tenants who say their home is safe (8th of 8; 1st is highest)
- complaints the Ombudsman upheld, per 100,000 residents (12th of 13; 1st is lowest)
Compares best on
- household waste reused, recycled or composted (1st of 12; 1st is highest)
- routine repairs done on time (1st of 8; 1st is highest)
- enforcement actions, per 100 fly-tipping incidents (5th of 13; 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 Milton Keynes pays for in 2026-27. Check your council tax band on GOV.UK.
Your bill: £2,372 a year, about £45.62 a week (Band D).
Who your bill goes to
| Goes to | A year | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Milton Keynes council | £1,848 | 78% |
| Parish or town council (average across the area) | £137 | 6% |
| Police | £298 | 13% |
| Fire and rescue | £89 | 4% |
What the council's share pays for
The council's part of your bill, £1,848, 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 | £718 | £13.81 | 39% |
| Children's social care | £540 | £10.38 | 29% |
| Bins, streets, parks and environment | £215 | £4.13 | 12% |
| Housing and homelessness | £112 | £2.16 | 6% |
| Public health | £86 | £1.66 | 5% |
| Running the council | £66 | £1.28 | 4% |
| Libraries, culture and leisure | £60 | £1.15 | 3% |
| Planning and development | £30 | £0.59 | 2% |
| Roads and transport | £20 | £0.38 | 1% |
Council tax is only part of the money
In 2025-26, council tax paid for 30% of what Milton Keynes 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: 13%
- Council tax: 30%
- Government grants: 57%
How the council does
Each measure ranks Milton Keynes among councils in South East. Open a section for the figures, and a chart of where every council in England sits.
Special educational needs
Bottom quarter
- Special educational needs plans issued on time 11.5% Bottom quarter
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 | Milton Keynes | 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 | 11.5% | 43.0% | 12th of 12 |
Ombudsman complaints
3 of 4 measures in the bottom quarter
- Complaints the Ombudsman upheld, per 100,000 residents 11.7 Bottom quarter
- Complaints that reached the Ombudsman, per 100,000 residents 61.5 Bottom quarter
- Upheld complaints the council had already put right 5.6% Below the middle
- Ombudsman's recommendations carried out on time 61.1% Bottom quarter
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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints the Ombudsman upheld, per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 11.7 | 7.8 | 12th of 13 | |
| Complaints that reached the Ombudsman, per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 61.5 | 46.9 | 12th of 13 | |
| 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 | 5.6% | 10.8% | 8th of 12 | |
| Ombudsman's recommendations carried out on time Compliance outcomes recorded as delivered on time. 2025-26 | 61.1% | 77.0% | 11th of 12 |
Council housing
4 of 7 measures in the bottom quarter
- Tenants satisfied with the overall service 53.1% Bottom quarter
- Tenants who say their home is well maintained 50.4% Bottom quarter
- Tenants who say their home is safe 55.5% Bottom quarter
- Tenants who say the council listens and acts 38.0% Bottom quarter
- Routine repairs done on time 99.7% Top half
- Council homes below the Decent Homes Standard 6.4% Below the middle
- Tenants' complaints answered on time 53.2% Below the middle
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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP01. 2024-25 | 53.1% | 65.5% | 7th of 8 | |
| Tenants who say their home is well maintained Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP04. 2024-25 | 50.4% | 64.9% | 7th of 8 | |
| Tenants who say their home is safe Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP05. 2024-25 | 55.5% | 69.4% | 8th of 8 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts Tenant Satisfaction Measure TP06. 2024-25 | 38.0% | 52.4% | 7th of 8 | |
| Routine repairs done on time Non-emergency responsive repairs completed within target (RP02). 2024-25 | 99.7% | 83.4% | 1st of 8 | |
| Council homes below the Decent Homes Standard Homes that do not meet the Decent Homes Standard (RP01). 2024-25 | 6.4% | 4.7% | 6th of 8 | |
| Tenants' complaints answered on time Stage 1 complaints responded to within the Housing Ombudsman's timescales (CH02). 2024-25 | 53.2% | 61.0% | 6th of 8 |
Council tax
Top half
- Council tax collected in the year it was due 96.5% Top half
Figures and charts for council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 96.5% | 94.8% | 6th of 13 |
Streets and waste
1 of 3 measures in the bottom quarter
- Fly-tipping incidents, per 1,000 residents 13.8 Bottom quarter
- Enforcement actions, per 100 fly-tipping incidents 66.3 Top half
- Household waste reused, recycled or composted 60.2% Top half
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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents, per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 13.8 | 7.2 | 10th of 13 | |
| Enforcement actions, per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 66.3 | 30.9 | 5th of 13 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 60.2% | 49.4% | 1st of 12 |
Homelessness
3 of 4 measures in the bottom quarter
- Households in temporary accommodation, per 1,000 households 8.4 Bottom quarter
- Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more 45.8% Bottom quarter
- People at risk of homelessness helped to keep or find a home 42.5% Below the middle
- Homeless people helped to find a home 16.0% Bottom quarter
Figures and charts for homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation, per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 8.4 | 3.9 | 11th of 12 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 45.8% | 20.3% | 10th of 12 | |
| 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 | 42.5% | 50.9% | 9th of 12 | |
| Homeless people helped to find a home Relief duty cases ending with accommodation secured for 6 months or more. January to March 2026 | 16.0% | 26.1% | 11th of 12 |
Website
Bottom quarter
- Council website accessibility score 87.4% Bottom quarter
Figures and charts for website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council website accessibility score Silktide Index WCAG 2.2 AA score. October 2026 | 87.4% | 92.8% | 11th of 13 |
What the council spends
£994 per resident in 2025-26, not counting schools. The median is £1,086.
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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £291 | £278 | 6th of 13 | |
| Adult social care | £386 | £430 | 13th of 13 | |
| Public health | £46 | £65 | 8th of 13 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £60 | £52 | 5th of 13 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £116 | £110 | 6th of 13 | |
| Highways and transport | £10 | £33 | 12th of 13 | |
| Culture and leisure | £32 | £33 | 8th of 13 | |
| Planning and development | £16 | £24 | 9th of 13 | |
| Central services | £36 | £52 | 12th of 13 | |
| All services excluding schools | £994 | £1,086 | 9th of 13 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Milton Keynes’ children's services good in October 2024.
How other councils were rated
- Outstanding
- 2 of the 13 councils in South East
- Good
- 7 of the 13 councils in South East, including Milton Keynes
- Requires improvement
- 4 of the 13 councils in South East
- Inadequate
- 0 of the 13 councils in South East
Over time
Milton Keynes against the median of councils in South East.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Milton Keynes: 11.5%
- Median (councils in South East): 43.0%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Milton Keynes: 11.7
- Median (councils in South East): 7.8
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Milton Keynes: 60.2%
- Median (councils in South East): 49.4%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Milton Keynes: 13.8
- Median (councils in South East): 7.2
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 Milton Keynes. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.