Birmingham compared with councils in West Midlands
Compared with the 11 councils in West Midlands.
- Residents
- 1,176,960 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,363 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Birmingham sits
13
measures in the bottom quarter
5
measures below the middle
3
measures in the top half
Birmingham compares worst with councils in West Midlands on:
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (11th of 11; 1st is lowest)
- complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents (11th of 11; 1st is lowest)
- tenants satisfied with the overall service (6th of 6; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- website accessibility score (1st of 11; 1st is highest)
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (4th of 11; 1st is highest)
- stage 1 housing complaints answered in time (3rd of 7; 1st is highest)
SEND assessments
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 37.1% | 37.6% | Below the middle 7th of 11 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 9.6 | 4 | Bottom quarter 11th of 11 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 63.5 | 36.5 | Bottom quarter 11th of 11 | |
| Upheld complaints about children's services per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about special educational needs per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about homelessness per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld cases the council had already put right 2025-26 | 8.0% | 11.7% | Bottom quarter 8th of 10 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 76.6% | 79.2% | Below the middle 6th of 10 |
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 2024-25 | 58.5% | 68.2% | Bottom quarter 6th of 6 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | 54.7% | 68.8% | Bottom quarter 6th of 6 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | 64.1% | 75.4% | Bottom quarter 6th of 6 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | 49.9% | 57.8% | Bottom quarter 6th of 6 | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | 82.6% | 82.6% | Below the middle 4th of 7 | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | 71.8% | 1.8% | Bottom quarter 7th of 7 | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | 82.5% | 74.7% | Top half 3rd of 7 |
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% | Bottom quarter 11th of 11 |
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 | Below the middle 7th of 11 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 9.9 | 45.9 | Below the middle 8th of 11 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 22.7% | 37.2% | Bottom quarter 11th of 11 |
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 | Bottom quarter 11th of 11 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 31.6% | 6.5% | Bottom quarter 11th of 11 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 58.4% | 52.1% | Top half 4th of 11 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 22.0% | 29.1% | Bottom quarter 9th of 11 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Birmingham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 96.6% | 91.2% | Top half 1st of 11 |
What the council spends
Net spending per resident in 2025-26, after fees, charges and specific grants, not counting schools. 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 at its last full inspection, in February 2023.
- 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.