Dorset compared with similar councils
These are the councils most like Dorset on the things that drive demand for services, such as deprivation and population, from the Department for Education's statistical neighbours: Somerset, Shropshire and North Yorkshire.
- Residents
- 391,036 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,765 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Dorset sits
1
measures in the bottom quarter
3
measures below the middle
10
measures in the top half
Dorset compares worst with similar councils on:
- council tax collected in the year it was due (4th of 4; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (1st of 4; 1st is lowest)
- enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents (1st of 4; 1st is highest)
- household waste reused, recycled or composted (1st of 4; 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 | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 78.2% | 45.1% | Top half 1st of 2 |
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 | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 9.2 | 7.8 | Below the middle 3rd of 4 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 46.3 | 42 | Below the middle 3rd of 4 | |
| 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 | 11.1% | 8.2% | Top half 2nd of 4 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 86.1% | 78.8% | 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 | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 79.0% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 78.3% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 82.5% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 67.1% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 85.6% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 0.3% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 79.6% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 95.1% | 96.1% | Bottom quarter 4th of 4 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 3.6 | 5 | Top half 1st of 4 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 82 | 67 | Top half 1st of 4 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 60.5% | 55.0% | Top half 1st of 4 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 1.1 | 1.1 | Top half 2nd of 4 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 3.4% | 4.4% | Top half 1st of 4 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 66.3% | 46.7% | Top half 1st of 4 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 37.9% | 28.6% | Top half 1st of 4 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Dorset | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 94.0% | 95.2% | Below the middle 3rd of 4 |
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 | Dorset | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £263 | £267 | 3rd of 4 | |
| Adult social care | £524 | £514 | 2nd of 4 | |
| Public health | £42 | £44 | 4th of 4 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £27 | £28 | 3rd of 4 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £117 | £122 | 3rd of 4 | |
| Highways and transport | £48 | £49 | 3rd of 4 | |
| Culture and leisure | £39 | £35 | 2nd of 4 | |
| Planning and development | £38 | £28 | 1st of 4 | |
| Central services | £19 | £35 | 4th of 4 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,143 | £1,110 | 1st of 4 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Dorset’s children's services outstanding at its last full inspection, in March 2025.
- Outstanding
- 3 of the 4 similar councils, including Dorset
- Good
- 1 of the 4 similar councils
- Requires improvement
- 0 of the 4 similar councils
- Inadequate
- 0 of the 4 similar councils
Over time
Dorset against the median of similar councils.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Dorset: 78.2%
- Median (similar councils): 45.1%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Dorset: 9.2
- Median (similar councils): 7.8
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Dorset: 60.5%
- Median (similar councils): 55.0%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Dorset: 3.6
- Median (similar councils): 5
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 Dorset. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.