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How close to the edge is each council? The financial distress ledger
How close to the edge is each council?
A ledger of the published markers of financial distress for every council in England, each linked to the document it comes from. "Bankrupt" is not a legal state for a council; the markers below are what the law and the ministry actually produce when one runs out of road.
Rebuilt 2026-10-22 05:50 UTC. 77 of 335 councils carry at least one marker. 51 have had Exceptional Financial Support agreed in principle since 2020-21, £6.45bn in all; 11 have issued a section 114 notice; 7 have a Best Value Notice in force; reserves data covers 308.
Where the bail-out money has gone
Exceptional Financial Support is permission from the ministry to pay for day-to-day spending with capital money (borrowing or asset sales), granted in principle when a council cannot otherwise set a balanced budget. The pie shows each council's share of everything agreed in principle from 2020-21 to 2026-27, using the latest figure the ministry has published for each year (revisions supersede the original). It is a share of money, so a pie is the right shape; the ramp runs darkest for the largest five.
Share of all Exceptional Financial Support agreed in principle since 2020-21, by council: the 25 largest and all others
Birmingham City Council: £1.24bn, 19.2% of £6.45bn (rank 1)
Birmingham
19%
Slough Borough Council: £548.9m, 8.5% of £6.45bn (rank 2)
Slough
9%
Thurrock Council: £518.0m, 8.0% of £6.45bn (rank 3)
Thurrock
8%
City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council: £391.0m, 6.1% of £6.45bn (rank 4)
Bradford
6%
London Borough of Croydon: £389.1m, 6.0% of £6.45bn (rank 5)
Croydon
6%
Woking Borough Council: £226.3m, 3.5% of £6.45bn (rank 6)
Woking
4%
Shropshire Council: £219.3m, 3.4% of £6.45bn (rank 7)
London Borough of Havering: £213.5m, 3.3% of £6.45bn (rank 8)
Southampton City Council: £211.5m, 3.3% of £6.45bn (rank 9)
London Borough of Lambeth: £191.0m, 3.0% of £6.45bn (rank 10)
Warrington Borough Council: £179.1m, 2.8% of £6.45bn (rank 11)
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: £151.8m, 2.4% of £6.45bn (rank 12)
London Borough of Hillingdon: £150.0m, 2.3% of £6.45bn (rank 13)
London Borough of Barnet: £135.3m, 2.1% of £6.45bn (rank 14)
London Borough of Haringey: £134.6m, 2.1% of £6.45bn (rank 15)
Somerset Council: £119.9m, 1.9% of £6.45bn (rank 16)
Worcestershire County Council: £93.5m, 1.4% of £6.45bn (rank 17)
Bedford Borough Council: £80.0m, 1.2% of £6.45bn (rank 18)
Cheshire East Council: £77.9m, 1.2% of £6.45bn (rank 19)
Halton Borough Council: £77.0m, 1.2% of £6.45bn (rank 20)
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: £75.0m, 1.2% of £6.45bn (rank 21)
Plymouth City Council: £72.0m, 1.1% of £6.45bn (rank 22)
Nottingham City Council: £70.3m, 1.1% of £6.45bn (rank 23)
East Sussex County Council: £70.0m, 1.1% of £6.45bn (rank 24)
London Borough of Redbridge: £70.0m, 1.1% of £6.45bn (rank 25)
All other councils: £749.3m, 11.6% of £6.45bn
All other councils
12%
The 25 largest, 2020-21 to 2026-27
1. Birmingham £1.24bn (19.2%)
2. Slough £548.9m (8.5%)
3. Thurrock £518.0m (8.0%)
4. Bradford £391.0m (6.1%)
5. Croydon £389.1m (6.0%)
6. Woking £226.3m (3.5%)
7. Shropshire £219.3m (3.4%)
8. Havering £213.5m (3.3%)
9. Southampton £211.5m (3.3%)
10. Lambeth £191.0m (3.0%)
11. Warrington £179.1m (2.8%)
12. Windsor and Maidenhead £151.8m (2.4%)
13. Hillingdon £150.0m (2.3%)
14. Barnet £135.3m (2.1%)
15. Haringey £134.6m (2.1%)
16. Somerset £119.9m (1.9%)
17. Worcestershire £93.5m (1.4%)
18. Bedford £80.0m (1.2%)
19. Cheshire East £77.9m (1.2%)
20. Halton £77.0m (1.2%)
21. Kensington and Chelsea £75.0m (1.2%)
22. Plymouth £72.0m (1.1%)
23. Nottingham £70.3m (1.1%)
24. East Sussex £70.0m (1.1%)
25. Redbridge £70.0m (1.1%)
All other councils (26) £749.3m (11.6%)
The same 25, as amounts
Exceptional Financial Support agreed in principle, 2020-21 to 2026-27, the 25 largest totals
Birmingham
Birmingham City Council: £1.24bn across 5 year(s): 2020-21 £288.4m, 2021-22 £109.5m, 2022-23 £172.2m, 2024-25 £490.0m, 2025-26 £180.0m
£1.24bn
Slough
Slough Borough Council: £548.9m across 9 year(s): 2018-19 £78.0m, 2019-20 £47.5m, 2020-21 £24.9m, 2021-22 £60.0m, 2022-23 £210.5m, 2023-24 £46.3m, 2024-25 £23.1m, 2025-26 £15.7m, 2026-27 £42.9m
£548.9m
Thurrock
Thurrock Council: £518.0m across 5 year(s): 2022-23 £130.0m, 2023-24 £184.0m, 2024-25 £73.0m, 2025-26 £62.1m, 2026-27 £68.9m
£518.0m
Bradford
City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council: £391.0m across 4 year(s): 2023-24 £80.0m, 2024-25 £120.0m, 2025-26 £113.0m, 2026-27 £78.0m
£391.0m
Croydon
London Borough of Croydon: £389.1m across 8 year(s): 2019-20 £9.4m, 2020-21 £10.0m, 2021-22 £14.4m, 2022-23 £25.0m, 2023-24 £50.0m, 2024-25 £51.0m, 2025-26 £110.3m, 2026-27 £119.0m
£389.1m
Woking
Woking Borough Council: £226.3m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £93.6m, 2025-26 £74.6m, 2026-27 £58.1m
£226.3m
Shropshire
Shropshire Council: £219.3m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £26.9m, 2025-26 £71.4m, 2026-27 £121.0m
£219.3m
Havering
London Borough of Havering: £213.5m across 4 year(s): 2023-24 £18.1m, 2024-25 £30.4m, 2025-26 £88.0m, 2026-27 £77.0m
£213.5m
Southampton
Southampton City Council: £211.5m across 2 year(s): 2024-25 £121.6m, 2025-26 £89.9m
£211.5m
Lambeth
London Borough of Lambeth: £191.0m across 5 year(s): 2020-21 £25.0m, 2023-24 £50.0m, 2024-25 £50.0m, 2025-26 £46.0m, 2026-27 £20.0m
£191.0m
Warrington
Warrington Borough Council: £179.1m across 2 year(s): 2025-26 £87.0m, 2026-27 £92.0m
£179.1m
Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: £151.8m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £62.0m, 2025-26 £41.0m, 2026-27 £48.8m
£151.8m
Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon: £150.0m across 2 year(s): 2025-26 £88.0m, 2026-27 £62.0m
£150.0m
Barnet
London Borough of Barnet: £135.3m across 2 year(s): 2025-26 £55.7m, 2026-27 £79.6m
£135.3m
Haringey
London Borough of Haringey: £134.6m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £10.0m, 2025-26 £40.6m, 2026-27 £84.0m
£134.6m
Somerset
Somerset Council: £119.9m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £44.8m, 2025-26 £45.1m, 2026-27 £30.0m
£119.9m
Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Council: £93.5m across 2 year(s): 2025-26 £33.6m, 2026-27 £59.9m
£93.5m
Bedford
Bedford Borough Council: £80.0m across 2 year(s): 2025-26 £22.0m, 2026-27 £58.0m
£80.0m
Cheshire East
Cheshire East Council: £77.9m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £17.6m, 2025-26 £25.3m, 2026-27 £35.0m
£77.9m
Halton
Halton Borough Council: £77.0m across 3 year(s): 2024-25 £10.0m, 2025-26 £32.0m, 2026-27 £35.0m
£77.0m
Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: £75.0m across 2 year(s): 2022-23 £23.2m, 2023-24 £51.8m
£75.0m
Plymouth
Plymouth City Council: £72.0m across 1 year(s): 2025-26 £72.0m
£72.0m
Nottingham
Nottingham City Council: £70.3m across 4 year(s): 2020-21 £20.0m, 2023-24 £17.6m, 2024-25 £7.7m, 2025-26 £25.0m
£70.3m
East Sussex
East Sussex County Council: £70.0m across 1 year(s): 2026-27 £70.0m
£70.0m
Redbridge
London Borough of Redbridge: £70.0m across 1 year(s): 2026-27 £70.0m
£70.0m
Each council's year-by-year figures are in the table at the foot of this page, where every amount links to the ministry's list for that year. (On a computer, resting the mouse pointer on a bar shows the same figures.) Amounts are in-principle approvals, not cash drawn; several councils have had later years revised downward and the figures here are the revised ones.
Reserves against spending, every council
General-fund reserves (unallocated plus other earmarked, excluding schools, public health and housing revenue account reserves, which are ring-fenced) at 31 March 2025 as a percentage of 2024-25 net revenue expenditure, from the ministry's revenue outturn summary. Low reserves do not make a council bankrupt and high reserves do not make it safe, but the ratio is the most widely used single measure of how much room a council has. Districts tend to run high ratios on small budgets; counties and unitaries run lower.
General-fund reserves at 31 March 2025 as a percentage of net revenue expenditure 2024-25, every council in the register with outturn data, lowest first (bars capped at 150%)
0%
10%
20%
50%
100%
150%
Plymouth City Council: -1.0% (£-2.7m general-fund reserves)
Oxford City Council: 0.0% (£0 general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Hillingdon: 1.7% (£4.4m general-fund reserves)
Shropshire Council: 7.2% (£20.5m general-fund reserves)
Cheshire East Council: 7.6% (£27.7m general-fund reserves)
West Berkshire Council: 7.9% (£12.8m general-fund reserves)
East Hertfordshire District Council: 8.0% (£2.7m general-fund reserves)
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council: 9.7% (£31.2m general-fund reserves)
Gloucester City Council: 11.0% (£2.0m general-fund reserves)
Peterborough City Council: 11.3% (£23.5m general-fund reserves)
Bedford Borough Council: 11.9% (£23.5m general-fund reserves)
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council: 12.4% (£17.3m general-fund reserves)
Liverpool City Council: 12.7% (£80.0m general-fund reserves)
Leeds City Council: 12.9% (£94.6m general-fund reserves)
Brighton and Hove City Council: 13.1% (£35.9m general-fund reserves)
South Tyneside Council: 13.2% (£22.7m general-fund reserves)
Wirral Borough Council: 13.5% (£47.4m general-fund reserves)
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: 15.1% (£16.8m general-fund reserves)
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council: 15.6% (£31.8m general-fund reserves)
Halton Borough Council: 16.1% (£25.5m general-fund reserves)
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council: 16.2% (£41.9m general-fund reserves)
Kirklees Council: 16.6% (£61.1m general-fund reserves)
East Sussex County Council: 16.8% (£90.5m general-fund reserves)
Surrey County Council: 17.0% (£188.6m general-fund reserves)
Central Bedfordshire Council: 17.2% (£40.9m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Haringey: 17.6% (£52.2m general-fund reserves)
West Lancashire Borough Council: 17.6% (£3.5m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Barnet: 18.2% (£62.5m general-fund reserves)
Worthing Borough Council: 18.2% (£2.5m general-fund reserves)
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council: 18.9% (£52.6m general-fund reserves)
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council: 19.0% (£38.3m general-fund reserves)
Middlesbrough Borough Council: 19.1% (£28.1m general-fund reserves)
Stoke-on-Trent City Council: 19.2% (£50.1m general-fund reserves)
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council: 19.2% (£67.1m general-fund reserves)
North Tyneside Council: 19.6% (£35.6m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Redbridge: 19.8% (£49.8m general-fund reserves)
Norfolk County Council: 20.1% (£149.0m general-fund reserves)
Blackpool Borough Council: 20.6% (£34.7m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Sutton: 20.6% (£37.6m general-fund reserves)
Hertfordshire County Council: 20.8% (£210.7m general-fund reserves)
Worcestershire County Council: 21.3% (£92.8m general-fund reserves)
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council: 21.3% (£55.2m general-fund reserves)
Devon County Council: 21.5% (£142.1m general-fund reserves)
North East Lincolnshire Council: 22.2% (£33.0m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Havering: 22.8% (£53.0m general-fund reserves)
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council: 22.9% (£74.5m general-fund reserves)
East Riding of Yorkshire Council: 23.0% (£83.8m general-fund reserves)
City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council: 23.2% (£134.0m general-fund reserves)
West Sussex County Council: 23.5% (£174.1m general-fund reserves)
Southampton City Council: 24.6% (£51.9m general-fund reserves)
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council: 24.7% (£85.4m general-fund reserves)
Swindon Borough Council: 24.8% (£49.7m general-fund reserves)
West Northamptonshire Council: 24.8% (£95.2m general-fund reserves)
Cheshire West and Chester Council: 24.8% (£76.7m general-fund reserves)
Westmorland and Furness Council: 24.9% (£63.5m general-fund reserves)
Kent County Council: 25.4% (£317.5m general-fund reserves)
Cornwall Council: 25.7% (£185.4m general-fund reserves)
Reading Borough Council: 25.7% (£46.0m general-fund reserves)
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council: 26.2% (£79.1m general-fund reserves)
St Helens Council: 26.2% (£53.5m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Waltham Forest: 26.3% (£73.7m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Enfield: 26.6% (£76.2m general-fund reserves)
Slough Borough Council: 27.4% (£41.6m general-fund reserves)
City of York Council: 27.5% (£41.4m general-fund reserves)
City of Wolverhampton Council: 27.8% (£72.6m general-fund reserves)
Lincolnshire County Council: 27.8% (£170.7m general-fund reserves)
Suffolk County Council: 27.8% (£160.5m general-fund reserves)
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council: 28.2% (£61.5m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Bexley: 28.2% (£56.5m general-fund reserves)
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council: 28.2% (£87.6m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Hackney: 28.4% (£104.0m general-fund reserves)
Cheltenham Borough Council: 29.4% (£4.8m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Lambeth: 30.2% (£122.0m general-fund reserves)
Wiltshire Council: 30.2% (£131.7m general-fund reserves)
Dorset Council: 30.7% (£126.8m general-fund reserves)
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council: 30.8% (£64.1m general-fund reserves)
Thanet District Council: 31.3% (£10.2m general-fund reserves)
Council of the Isles of Scilly: 31.6% (£2.5m general-fund reserves)
Somerset Council: 31.9% (£172.3m general-fund reserves)
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council: 32.0% (£69.8m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Croydon: 32.2% (£133.6m general-fund reserves)
Warrington Borough Council: 32.4% (£60.7m general-fund reserves)
Derbyshire County Council: 32.8% (£195.6m general-fund reserves)
North Lincolnshire Council: 32.8% (£55.8m general-fund reserves)
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council: 33.0% (£5.5m general-fund reserves)
Bury Metropolitan Borough Council: 33.5% (£68.4m general-fund reserves)
Cambridgeshire County Council: 34.4% (£172.5m general-fund reserves)
St Albans City and District Council: 34.7% (£6.9m general-fund reserves)
North Northamptonshire Council: 34.9% (£117.6m general-fund reserves)
Lancashire County Council: 35.0% (£345.0m general-fund reserves)
Nottinghamshire County Council: 35.0% (£241.4m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Newham: 35.1% (£131.5m general-fund reserves)
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames: 35.4% (£56.6m general-fund reserves)
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council: 35.4% (£61.8m general-fund reserves)
Torbay Council: 35.5% (£49.2m general-fund reserves)
Coventry City Council: 36.9% (£114.8m general-fund reserves)
North Somerset Council: 36.9% (£83.1m general-fund reserves)
Hartlepool Borough Council: 37.1% (£36.8m general-fund reserves)
Durham County Council: 37.3% (£194.3m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Tower Hamlets: 37.5% (£147.1m general-fund reserves)
Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council: 37.9% (£78.2m general-fund reserves)
Havant Borough Council: 38.4% (£6.3m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Harrow: 38.7% (£78.1m general-fund reserves)
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council: 38.9% (£100.6m general-fund reserves)
Darlington Borough Council: 39.6% (£45.7m general-fund reserves)
Lewes District Council: 40.6% (£10.3m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Brent: 42.5% (£141.2m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Ealing: 42.7% (£127.6m general-fund reserves)
Hampshire County Council: 42.9% (£450.4m general-fund reserves)
Telford & Wrekin Council: 43.4% (£75.5m general-fund reserves)
Bristol City Council: 43.6% (£202.9m general-fund reserves)
Manchester City Council: 43.6% (£304.2m general-fund reserves)
Charnwood Borough Council: 43.9% (£9.4m general-fund reserves)
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council: 45.0% (£3.2m general-fund reserves)
Warwickshire County Council: 45.1% (£215.0m general-fund reserves)
Eastbourne Borough Council: 45.7% (£7.3m general-fund reserves)
Buckinghamshire Council: 45.9% (£243.7m general-fund reserves)
Northumberland County Council: 46.2% (£182.4m general-fund reserves)
Herefordshire Council: 46.4% (£78.1m general-fund reserves)
Adur District Council: 47.1% (£4.8m general-fund reserves)
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: 48.0% (£87.3m general-fund reserves)
North Devon District Council: 48.1% (£9.4m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Hounslow: 48.6% (£128.6m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Camden: 49.7% (£159.9m general-fund reserves)
Oxfordshire County Council: 52.3% (£284.3m general-fund reserves)
Sheffield City Council: 52.3% (£288.6m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Islington: 52.9% (£140.2m general-fund reserves)
Great Yarmouth Borough Council: 53.1% (£9.5m general-fund reserves)
Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council: 53.6% (£163.4m general-fund reserves)
Colchester Borough Council: 55.1% (£28.9m general-fund reserves)
Bracknell Forest Council: 55.3% (£66.5m general-fund reserves)
Bath and North East Somerset Council: 55.5% (£89.4m general-fund reserves)
Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council: 55.5% (£163.2m general-fund reserves)
Babergh District Council: 55.6% (£9.9m general-fund reserves)
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council: 56.0% (£79.6m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames: 56.2% (£112.9m general-fund reserves)
South Gloucestershire Council: 56.9% (£151.7m general-fund reserves)
Sunderland City Council: 58.2% (£164.2m general-fund reserves)
Essex County Council: 58.6% (£649.8m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham: 58.7% (£129.5m general-fund reserves)
Newcastle City Council: 59.2% (£178.8m general-fund reserves)
Luton Borough Council: 59.7% (£104.4m general-fund reserves)
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council: 60.0% (£8.8m general-fund reserves)
Gloucestershire County Council: 61.3% (£256.7m general-fund reserves)
Leicestershire County Council: 62.1% (£299.1m general-fund reserves)
Arun District Council: 63.9% (£19.2m general-fund reserves)
Epping Forest District Council: 64.5% (£11.9m general-fund reserves)
New Forest District Council: 64.5% (£21.7m general-fund reserves)
Royal Borough of Greenwich: 64.7% (£189.4m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Southwark: 64.9% (£246.2m general-fund reserves)
Rother District Council: 65.2% (£10.7m general-fund reserves)
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council: 65.4% (£11.4m general-fund reserves)
Broxtowe Borough Council: 66.0% (£8.6m general-fund reserves)
Rutland County Council: 66.3% (£27.8m general-fund reserves)
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council: 69.4% (£183.2m general-fund reserves)
East Hampshire District Council: 70.1% (£13.9m general-fund reserves)
Isle of Wight Council: 71.2% (£116.1m general-fund reserves)
South Staffordshire Council: 73.1% (£16.5m general-fund reserves)
Erewash Borough Council: 73.5% (£8.5m general-fund reserves)
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council: 75.8% (£170.6m general-fund reserves)
Pendle Borough Council: 76.0% (£13.5m general-fund reserves)
Hastings Borough Council: 76.2% (£14.2m general-fund reserves)
Ipswich Borough Council: 76.4% (£21.9m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Bromley: 77.0% (£209.6m general-fund reserves)
Wokingham Borough Council: 77.7% (£134.7m general-fund reserves)
Salford City Council: 78.3% (£264.7m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Merton: 79.0% (£134.7m general-fund reserves)
Staffordshire County Council: 80.3% (£442.6m general-fund reserves)
Swale Borough Council: 81.3% (£20.3m general-fund reserves)
Chorley Borough Council: 82.7% (£11.6m general-fund reserves)
Thurrock Council: 83.0% (£75.5m general-fund reserves)
South Holland District Council: 83.7% (£10.8m general-fund reserves)
Milton Keynes Council: 84.3% (£208.9m general-fund reserves)
Stroud District Council: 87.9% (£23.4m general-fund reserves)
North Norfolk District Council: 88.1% (£16.5m general-fund reserves)
Fenland District Council: 89.6% (£13.2m general-fund reserves)
Birmingham City Council: 92.8% (£862.9m general-fund reserves)
Gedling Borough Council: 93.4% (£13.9m general-fund reserves)
Hyndburn Borough Council: 93.6% (£18.1m general-fund reserves)
North Yorkshire Council: 94.2% (£541.7m general-fund reserves)
Exeter City Council: 95.8% (£17.8m general-fund reserves)
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council: 98.1% (£217.3m general-fund reserves)
High Peak Borough Council: 98.7% (£13.0m general-fund reserves)
South Hams District Council: 99.1% (£16.7m general-fund reserves)
Tandridge District Council: 100.6% (£12.3m general-fund reserves)
Teignbridge District Council: 100.9% (£24.0m general-fund reserves)
Cotswold District Council: 101.5% (£12.9m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Lewisham: 101.6% (£230.8m general-fund reserves)
East Suffolk Council: 101.8% (£49.8m general-fund reserves)
Bromsgrove District Council: 102.8% (£11.3m general-fund reserves)
Crawley Borough Council: 103.9% (£16.5m general-fund reserves)
Forest of Dean District Council: 106.6% (£13.5m general-fund reserves)
Fylde Borough Council: 109.4% (£15.8m general-fund reserves)
Bassetlaw District Council: 110.6% (£15.1m general-fund reserves)
Broadland District Council: 111.2% (£22.0m general-fund reserves)
Lancaster City Council: 111.2% (£28.7m general-fund reserves)
Blaby District Council: 113.0% (£18.8m general-fund reserves)
Surrey Heath Borough Council: 113.1% (£22.8m general-fund reserves)
Worcester City Council: 113.2% (£12.9m general-fund reserves)
Warwick District Council: 114.1% (£26.3m general-fund reserves)
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham: 114.7% (£197.5m general-fund reserves)
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council: 115.8% (£20.9m general-fund reserves)
Chelmsford City Council: 122.1% (£31.7m general-fund reserves)
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council: 123.8% (£19.6m general-fund reserves)
Melton Borough Council: 124.8% (£9.1m general-fund reserves)
South Ribble Borough Council: 126.1% (£19.9m general-fund reserves)
Gosport Borough Council: 127.2% (£14.1m general-fund reserves)
Maldon District Council: 127.2% (£15.2m general-fund reserves)
Wyre Forest District Council: 127.5% (£21.1m general-fund reserves)
East Lindsey District Council: 130.9% (£39.0m general-fund reserves)
North West Leicestershire District Council: 131.4% (£28.9m general-fund reserves)
Hertsmere Borough Council: 132.2% (£20.0m general-fund reserves)
Rochford District Council: 134.5% (£18.7m general-fund reserves)
City of Westminster: 136.2% (£339.2m general-fund reserves)
Huntingdonshire District Council: 136.7% (£39.1m general-fund reserves)
Sevenoaks District Council: 138.3% (£25.9m general-fund reserves)
Cherwell District Council: 138.4% (£41.2m general-fund reserves)
Mid Devon District Council: 139.4% (£17.8m general-fund reserves)
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council: 139.4% (£17.3m general-fund reserves)
Portsmouth City Council: 139.8% (£246.1m general-fund reserves)
Basildon Borough Council: 141.3% (£45.0m general-fund reserves)
Burnley Borough Council: 142.1% (£26.7m general-fund reserves)
Lichfield District Council: 143.0% (£23.6m general-fund reserves)
West Devon Borough Council: 144.2% (£13.9m general-fund reserves)
Breckland District Council: 147.5% (£22.9m general-fund reserves)
West Lindsey District Council: 148.4% (£24.0m general-fund reserves)
Chesterfield Borough Council: 148.8% (£18.2m general-fund reserves)
East Staffordshire Borough Council: 149.8% (£29.2m general-fund reserves)
North Kesteven District Council: 150.2% (£29.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Folkestone and Hythe Council: 150.5% (£20.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
North East Derbyshire District Council: 152.5% (£24.1m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Amber Valley Borough Council: 153.7% (£26.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Derbyshire Dales District Council: 155.9% (£21.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Torridge District Council: 156.1% (£17.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Gravesham Borough Council: 156.6% (£19.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Redditch Borough Council: 159.9% (£18.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Bolsover District Council: 160.6% (£26.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Canterbury City Council: 168.3% (£35.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
London Borough of Wandsworth: 168.5% (£376.8m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Newark and Sherwood District Council: 168.8% (£35.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
South Derbyshire District Council: 169.4% (£26.5m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Cannock Chase District Council: 169.8% (£24.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
North Hertfordshire District Council: 170.0% (£29.8m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Rossendale Borough Council: 170.2% (£12.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Ashfield District Council: 170.7% (£30.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Ashford Borough Council: 171.0% (£36.5m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council: 171.9% (£34.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Uttlesford District Council: 173.4% (£31.5m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Mansfield District Council: 174.8% (£19.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Preston City Council: 175.3% (£42.8m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Castle Point Borough Council: 175.6% (£24.9m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Mole Valley District Council: 178.5% (£17.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Dover District Council: 180.2% (£46.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Harborough District Council: 183.7% (£32.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
South Kesteven District Council: 185.8% (£26.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
East Cambridgeshire District Council: 191.9% (£30.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Rushcliffe Borough Council: 192.1% (£26.9m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Stevenage Borough Council: 193.1% (£17.5m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Maidstone Borough Council: 197.2% (£45.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Brentwood Borough Council: 199.3% (£15.9m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Eastleigh Borough Council: 199.5% (£42.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Fareham Borough Council: 203.4% (£23.1m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
West Oxfordshire District Council: 206.3% (£31.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council: 207.4% (£39.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Rugby Borough Council: 208.5% (£35.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
West Suffolk Council: 212.4% (£57.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
City of London Corporation: 214.2% (£367.1m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Vale of White Horse District Council: 217.3% (£36.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
South Cambridgeshire District Council: 218.9% (£59.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Waverley Borough Council: 221.5% (£26.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Harlow District Council: 223.4% (£31.9m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Tendring District Council: 226.5% (£43.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Three Rivers District Council: 227.3% (£29.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Rushmoor Borough Council: 227.5% (£24.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Horsham District Council: 229.7% (£48.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Boston Borough Council: 229.9% (£19.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
East Devon District Council: 233.1% (£52.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Braintree District Council: 244.8% (£42.1m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Dacorum Borough Council: 246.0% (£34.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council: 253.2% (£32.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Mid Sussex District Council: 265.9% (£41.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Guildford Borough Council: 269.1% (£38.5m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Wyre Borough Council: 281.7% (£40.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Ribble Valley Borough Council: 285.7% (£20.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Stafford Borough Council: 312.5% (£44.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Wealden District Council: 313.8% (£69.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Tamworth Borough Council: 316.5% (£27.9m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
North Warwickshire Borough Council: 317.7% (£27.4m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
South Norfolk District Council: 321.0% (£55.8m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Spelthorne Borough Council: 327.3% (£54.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Cambridge City Council: 328.2% (£71.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Elmbridge Borough Council: 338.2% (£57.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
South Oxfordshire District Council: 356.6% (£66.1m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Winchester City Council: 358.2% (£53.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Watford Borough Council: 369.2% (£80.1m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Stratford-on-Avon District Council: 394.4% (£52.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Broxbourne Borough Council: 401.6% (£36.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Test Valley Borough Council: 439.6% (£64.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Chichester District Council: 443.1% (£65.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Dartford Borough Council: 445.3% (£81.3m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Hart District Council: 469.5% (£42.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Malvern Hills District Council: 681.2% (£39.0m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Tewkesbury Borough Council: 834.7% (£50.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council: 1025.0% (£48.2m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Wychavon District Council: 1064.5% (£104.6m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Mid Suffolk District Council: 1379.5% (£45.5m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
Runnymede Borough Council: 5792.3% (£71.7m general-fund reserves) (capped in the chart)
10% line
20% line
lowest reserves highest (307 councils; names and figures in the table below)
The ranking and how it is made
This site's method, not a measurement. Points: 3 for a section 114 notice at any time since 2018; 3 for a statutory intervention whose gov.uk collection has been updated within the last 18 months (1 for an older one on record); 2 for a Best Value Notice in force (1 lapsed); 2 for Exceptional Financial Support agreed in any year; 2 for general-fund reserves below 10% of net revenue expenditure (1 below 20%). Ties by EFS total, then by lowest reserves. The points are a way to sort the table so the most-marked councils come first; they are not a prediction and the amounts beside them matter more than the score.
Sources
bvn: best-value-notices-for-local-authorities , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 80971f62d510f7ab efs_2020-21: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2020-21 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 05c4d75cf28faa3e, 13 March 2025 efs_2021-22: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2021-22 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 a2f0687fade391f0, 13 March 2025 efs_2022-23: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2022-23 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 5d13700a99821fe2, 23 February 2026 efs_2023-24: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2023-24 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 c37053b00af6c5de, 5 March 2026 efs_2024-25: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2024-25 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 34afdcefca098d9f, 5 March 2026 efs_2025-26: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2025-26 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 c97f54a1fc7a807c, 18 August 2026 efs_2026-27: exceptional-financial-support-for-local-authorities-for-2026-27 , retrieved 2026-10-17 05:05 UTC, SHA-256 c714648d2f505dbc, 18 August 2026 interventions: interventions.csv , retrieved 2026-10-06 19:15 UTC, SHA-256 b8d29d215d665034 outturn_rs_2024-25: RS_LA_Data_2024-25_data_by_LA.ods , retrieved 2026-10-06 19:15 UTC, SHA-256 cfbf78c41ced0c8a s114_index: Section_114_notice , retrieved 2026-10-06 19:15 UTC, SHA-256 abd8c5f5a3c04148, 1348100149
Section 114 notices are discovered through the Wikipedia index (CC BY-SA, attributed) and cited to the reference it carries, which for recent notices is the council's own page; statutory interventions are the ministry's gov.uk collections, dated by their first publication. Councils abolished by reorganisation (Northamptonshire, Copeland) appear in the sources but not in the register and are listed under unmatched in the data. Downloads: markers.csv , revisions.csv , summary.json . Corrections go in the corrections log .