County Durham compared with similar councils
These are the councils most like County Durham on the things that drive demand for services, such as deprivation and population, from the Department for Education's statistical neighbours: Halton, Wirral, Gateshead, Redcar and Cleveland, Rotherham, Barnsley, Sunderland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington.
- Residents
- 539,146 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,622 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where County Durham sits
2
measures in the bottom quarter
4
measures below the middle
8
measures in the top half
County Durham compares worst with similar councils on:
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (9th of 11; 1st is highest)
- relief cases ending with a home secured (9th of 11; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- website accessibility score (1st of 11; 1st is highest)
- households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households (1st of 10; 1st is lowest)
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (2nd of 11; 1st is lowest)
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 | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 77.6% | 79.4% | 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 | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 3.2 | 3.2 | Below the middle 6th of 11 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 31.2 | 34.6 | Top half 4th 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 | 23.5% | 28.4% | Below the middle 4th of 6 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 85.7% | 83.8% | Top half 2nd of 4 |
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 | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 75.2% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 70.7% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 73.6% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 62.3% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 85.7% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 0.2% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 79.9% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 95.1% | 94.2% | Top half 4th of 11 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 9.8 | 22.8 | Top half 2nd of 11 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 110.4 | 42.7 | Top half 2nd of 11 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 36.7% | 32.2% | Top half 3rd of 11 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 0.5 | 1.3 | Top half 1st of 10 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 3.8% | 0.0% | Below the middle 6th of 9 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 41.0% | 52.8% | Bottom quarter 9th of 11 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 33.4% | 45.3% | Bottom quarter 9th of 11 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | County Durham | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 94.8% | 82.9% | 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 | County Durham | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £356 | £373 | 8th of 11 | |
| Adult social care | £388 | £532 | 11th of 11 | |
| Public health | £118 | £110 | 3rd of 11 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £45 | £26 | 2nd of 11 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £136 | £113 | 1st of 11 | |
| Highways and transport | £51 | £50 | 4th of 11 | |
| Culture and leisure | £80 | £62 | 4th of 11 | |
| Planning and development | £51 | £22 | 2nd of 11 | |
| Central services | £60 | £62 | 8th of 11 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,287 | £1,306 | 7th of 11 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated County Durham’s children's services outstanding at its last full inspection, in March 2025.
- Outstanding
- 4 of the 11 similar councils, including County Durham
- Good
- 3 of the 11 similar councils
- Requires improvement
- 2 of the 11 similar councils
- Inadequate
- 2 of the 11 similar councils
Over time
County Durham against the median of similar councils.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- County Durham: 77.6%
- Median (similar councils): 79.4%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- County Durham: 3.2
- Median (similar councils): 3.2
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- County Durham: 36.7%
- Median (similar councils): 32.2%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- County Durham: 9.8
- Median (similar councils): 22.8
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 County Durham. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.