Kingston upon Thames compared with similar councils
These are the councils most like Kingston upon Thames on the things that drive demand for services, such as deprivation and population, from the Department for Education's statistical neighbours: Sutton, Merton, Bromley, Bath and North East Somerset, Windsor and Maidenhead, Trafford, Richmond upon Thames and Buckinghamshire.
- Residents
- 172,761 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,609 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Kingston upon Thames sits
12
measures in the bottom quarter
2
measures below the middle
7
measures in the top half
Kingston upon Thames compares worst with similar councils on:
- complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents (9th of 9; 1st is lowest)
- tenants satisfied with the overall service (2nd of 2; 1st is highest)
- tenants satisfied their home is well maintained (2nd of 2; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- council tax collected in the year it was due (1st of 9; 1st is highest)
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (1st of 9; 1st is highest)
- ombudsman remedies delivered on time (1st of 8; 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 | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 97.2% | 95.8% | Top half 2nd of 8 |
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 | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 8.1 | 5 | Bottom quarter 7th of 9 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 75.8 | 46.9 | Bottom quarter 9th of 9 | |
| 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 | 14.3% | 2.0% | Top half 2nd of 9 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 100.0% | 82.8% | Top half 1st of 8 |
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 | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | 64.0% | 67.0% | Bottom quarter 2nd of 2 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | 61.0% | 63.8% | Bottom quarter 2nd of 2 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | 69.7% | 71.5% | Bottom quarter 2nd of 2 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | 50.1% | 53.7% | Bottom quarter 2nd of 2 | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | 95.1% | 85.0% | Top half 1st of 2 | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | 14.0% | 7.6% | Bottom quarter 2nd of 2 | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | 55.9% | 73.3% | Bottom quarter 2nd of 2 |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 98.1% | 96.8% | Top half 1st of 9 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 13.8 | 13.8 | Below the middle 5th of 9 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 57.5 | 12.9 | Top half 3rd of 9 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 44.1% | 46.6% | Below the middle 5th of 8 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 12.4 | 8.3 | Bottom quarter 8th of 9 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 72.3% | 31.8% | Bottom quarter 9th of 9 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 60.9% | 47.9% | Top half 1st of 9 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 18.7% | 20.6% | Bottom quarter 7th of 9 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 83.6% | 92.9% | Bottom quarter 8th of 9 |
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 | Kingston upon Thames | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £236 | £251 | 9th of 9 | |
| Adult social care | £414 | £414 | 5th of 9 | |
| Public health | £80 | £58 | 1st of 9 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £121 | £97 | 1st of 9 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £104 | £104 | 5th of 9 | |
| Highways and transport | −£3 | £14 | 9th of 9 | |
| Culture and leisure | £41 | £36 | 3rd of 9 | |
| Planning and development | £25 | £25 | 4th of 9 | |
| Central services | £84 | £56 | 2nd of 9 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,104 | £1,026 | 2nd of 9 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Kingston upon Thames’ children's services outstanding at its last full inspection, in December 2024.
- Outstanding
- 4 of the 9 similar councils, including Kingston upon Thames
- Good
- 3 of the 9 similar councils
- Requires improvement
- 2 of the 9 similar councils
- Inadequate
- 0 of the 9 similar councils
Over time
Kingston upon Thames against the median of similar councils.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Kingston upon Thames: 97.2%
- Median (similar councils): 95.8%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Kingston upon Thames: 8.1
- Median (similar councils): 5
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Kingston upon Thames: 44.1%
- Median (similar councils): 46.6%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Kingston upon Thames: 13.8
- Median (similar councils): 13.8
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 Kingston upon Thames. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.