Milton Keynes compared with similar councils
These are the councils most like Milton Keynes on the things that drive demand for services, such as deprivation and population, from the Department for Education's statistical neighbours: Bedford, Bexley, Southend-on-Sea, Reading, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Havering, Sutton and Leeds.
- Residents
- 308,866 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,372 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Milton Keynes sits
14
measures in the bottom quarter
3
measures below the middle
4
measures in the top half
Milton Keynes compares worst with similar councils on:
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (9th of 9; 1st is lowest)
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (9th of 9; 1st is highest)
- relief cases ending with a home secured (9th of 9; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- household waste reused, recycled or composted (1st of 9; 1st is highest)
- non-emergency repairs done within target time (1st of 7; 1st is highest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (3rd of 9; 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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 11.5% | 62.5% | Bottom quarter 8th of 9 |
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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 11.7 | 4.9 | Bottom quarter 9th of 9 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 61.5 | 44.8 | Bottom quarter 7th 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 | 5.6% | 17.3% | Bottom quarter 8th of 9 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 61.1% | 84.2% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 |
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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | 53.1% | 69.8% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | 50.4% | 67.0% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | 55.5% | 73.3% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | 38.0% | 57.2% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | 99.7% | 83.1% | Top half 1st of 7 | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | 6.4% | 2.8% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | 53.2% | 82.6% | Bottom quarter 6th of 7 |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 96.5% | 95.7% | Top half 3rd of 9 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | 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 | 66.3 | 60 | Top half 4th of 9 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 60.2% | 41.8% | Top half 1st of 9 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 8.4 | 6.2 | Below the middle 6th of 9 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 45.8% | 26.4% | Below the middle 6th of 9 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 42.5% | 58.0% | Bottom quarter 9th of 9 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 16.0% | 36.9% | Bottom quarter 9th of 9 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Milton Keynes | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 87.4% | 90.1% | Bottom quarter 7th 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 | Milton Keynes | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £291 | £302 | 6th of 9 | |
| Adult social care | £386 | £424 | 8th of 9 | |
| Public health | £46 | £56 | 9th of 9 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £60 | £64 | 6th of 9 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £116 | £116 | 5th of 9 | |
| Highways and transport | £10 | £27 | 8th of 9 | |
| Culture and leisure | £32 | £40 | 7th of 9 | |
| Planning and development | £16 | £14 | 4th of 9 | |
| Central services | £36 | £50 | 8th of 9 | |
| All services excluding schools | £994 | £1,097 | 7th of 9 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Milton Keynes’ children's services good at its last full inspection, in October 2024.
- Outstanding
- 2 of the 9 similar councils
- Good
- 4 of the 9 similar councils, including Milton Keynes
- Requires improvement
- 2 of the 9 similar councils
- Inadequate
- 1 of the 9 similar councils
Over time
Milton Keynes against the median of similar councils.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Milton Keynes: 11.5%
- Median (similar councils): 62.5%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Milton Keynes: 11.7
- Median (similar councils): 4.9
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Milton Keynes: 60.2%
- Median (similar councils): 41.8%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Milton Keynes: 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 Milton Keynes. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.