Cornwall compared with unitary authorities
Compared with the 62 unitary authorities.
- Residents
- 584,782 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,591 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Cornwall sits
5
measures in the bottom quarter
11
measures below the middle
5
measures in the top half
Cornwall compares worst with unitary authorities on:
- council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard (32nd of 34; 1st is lowest)
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (55th of 62; 1st is lowest)
- non-emergency repairs done within target time (30th of 34; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (16th of 62; 1st is lowest)
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (20th of 60; 1st is highest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (21st of 62; 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 | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 34.1% | 56.4% | Below the middle 39th of 58 |
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 | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 8.4 | 4.3 | Bottom quarter 55th of 62 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 48.2 | 37.7 | Bottom quarter 47th of 62 | |
| 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 | 8.2% | 14.9% | Bottom quarter 41st of 52 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 85.7% | 77.8% | Top half 16th of 45 |
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 | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | 68.8% | 69.1% | Below the middle 18th of 33 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | 65.6% | 68.9% | Below the middle 22nd of 33 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | 74.0% | 75.3% | Below the middle 19th of 33 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | 56.3% | 58.0% | Below the middle 20th of 33 | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | 60.7% | 82.6% | Bottom quarter 30th of 34 | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | 17.9% | 2.2% | Bottom quarter 32nd of 34 | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | 73.5% | 73.2% | Top half 17th of 34 |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 96.6% | 95.8% | Top half 21st of 62 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 6.7 | 11.1 | Top half 16th of 62 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 37 | 41.4 | Below the middle 33rd of 62 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 37.7% | 42.3% | Below the middle 39th of 60 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 3.3 | 1.9 | Below the middle 40th of 58 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 16.7% | 7.9% | Below the middle 40th of 55 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 59.7% | 50.5% | Top half 20th of 60 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 37.4% | 37.7% | Below the middle 32nd of 60 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Cornwall | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 92.5% | 93.4% | Below the middle 36th of 62 |
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 | Cornwall | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £262 | £298 | 46th of 61 | |
| Adult social care | £604 | £480 | 3rd of 61 | |
| Public health | £76 | £66 | 23rd of 61 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £64 | £35 | 10th of 61 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £164 | £111 | 2nd of 61 | |
| Highways and transport | £72 | £49 | 12th of 61 | |
| Culture and leisure | £35 | £37 | 35th of 61 | |
| Planning and development | £15 | £21 | 41st of 61 | |
| Central services | £32 | £51 | 53rd of 61 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,383 | £1,189 | 11th of 61 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Cornwall’s children's services good at its last full inspection, in July 2024.
- Outstanding
- 15 of the 62 unitary authorities
- Good
- 26 of the 62 unitary authorities, including Cornwall
- Requires improvement
- 16 of the 62 unitary authorities
- Inadequate
- 5 of the 62 unitary authorities
Over time
Cornwall against the median of unitary authorities.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Cornwall: 34.1%
- Median (unitary authorities): 56.4%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Cornwall: 8.4
- Median (unitary authorities): 4.3
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Cornwall: 37.7%
- Median (unitary authorities): 42.3%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Cornwall: 6.7
- Median (unitary authorities): 11.1
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 Cornwall. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.