Blackburn with Darwen compared with similar councils
These are the councils most like Blackburn with Darwen on the things that drive demand for services, such as deprivation and population, from the Department for Education's statistical neighbours: Bradford, Oldham, Bolton, Derby, Rochdale, Walsall, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham and Kirklees.
- Residents
- 163,801 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,455 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Blackburn with Darwen sits
1
measures in the bottom quarter
1
measures below the middle
10
measures in the top half
Blackburn with Darwen compares worst with similar councils on:
- household waste reused, recycled or composted (9th of 11; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (1st of 11; 1st is lowest)
- complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents (1st of 11; 1st is lowest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (1st of 11; 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 | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 79.9% | 62.8% | Top half 4th 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 | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 1.8 | 4 | Top half 1st of 11 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 26.9 | 32.5 | Top half 1st 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 | No figure | 13.8% | No figure | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | No figure | 64.0% | No figure |
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 | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 67.6% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 68.8% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 75.4% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 59.2% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 83.4% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 3.5% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 76.0% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 95.3% | 93.5% | Top half 1st of 11 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 23.4 | 22.7 | Below the middle 7th of 11 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 128.7 | 18.5 | Top half 1st of 11 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 27.1% | 32.3% | Bottom quarter 9th of 11 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 0.6 | 2.6 | Top half 1st of 11 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 0.0% | 4.7% | Top half 1st of 11 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 79.2% | 52.5% | Top half 2nd of 11 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 71.3% | 32.0% | Top half 1st of 11 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 96.6% | 95.6% | Top half 3rd 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 | Blackburn with Darwen | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £400 | £352 | 3rd of 11 | |
| Adult social care | £492 | £459 | 5th of 11 | |
| Public health | £121 | £93 | 1st of 11 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £32 | £39 | 10th of 11 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £99 | £95 | 5th of 11 | |
| Highways and transport | £21 | £51 | 10th of 11 | |
| Culture and leisure | £64 | £47 | 2nd of 11 | |
| Planning and development | £26 | £29 | 7th of 11 | |
| Central services | £74 | £53 | 3rd of 11 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,328 | £1,255 | 4th of 11 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Blackburn with Darwen’s children's services good at its last full inspection, in March 2025.
- Outstanding
- 2 of the 11 similar councils
- Good
- 6 of the 11 similar councils, including Blackburn with Darwen
- Requires improvement
- 3 of the 11 similar councils
- Inadequate
- 0 of the 11 similar councils
Over time
Blackburn with Darwen against the median of similar councils.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Blackburn with Darwen: 79.9%
- Median (similar councils): 62.8%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Blackburn with Darwen: 1.8
- Median (similar councils): 4
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Blackburn with Darwen: 27.1%
- Median (similar councils): 32.3%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Blackburn with Darwen: 23.4
- Median (similar councils): 22.7
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 Blackburn with Darwen. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.