Sandwell compared with metropolitan districts
Compared with the 36 metropolitan districts.
- Residents
- 352,918 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,244 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Sandwell sits
8
measures in the bottom quarter
5
measures below the middle
8
measures in the top half
Sandwell compares worst with metropolitan districts on:
- stage 1 housing complaints answered in time (21st of 21; 1st is highest)
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (34th of 36; 1st is lowest)
- enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents (34th of 36; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (1st of 35; 1st is highest)
- website accessibility score (11th of 36; 1st is highest)
- council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard (7th of 21; 1st is lowest)
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 | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 29.8% | 59.5% | Below the middle 27th of 36 |
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 | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 4.3 | 3.8 | Below the middle 21st of 36 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 48.7 | 36.5 | Bottom quarter 33rd of 36 | |
| 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 | 13.3% | 14.3% | Below the middle 17th of 31 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | 58.3% | 81.8% | Bottom quarter 24th of 29 |
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 | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | 67.0% | 67.6% | Below the middle 12th of 21 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | 68.9% | 68.1% | Top half 8th of 21 | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | 75.0% | 73.5% | Top half 8th of 21 | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | 58.7% | 58.6% | Top half 10th of 21 | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | 75.7% | 84.2% | Bottom quarter 18th of 21 | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | 1.1% | 3.3% | Top half 7th of 21 | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | 38.2% | 82.5% | Bottom quarter 21st of 21 |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 93.2% | 93.8% | Below the middle 25th of 36 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 35.5 | 20.4 | Bottom quarter 34th of 36 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 4.3 | 32.8 | Bottom quarter 34th of 36 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 26.8% | 36.2% | Bottom quarter 31st of 36 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 1.7 | 1.7 | Top half 18th of 36 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 1.0% | 2.8% | Top half 14th of 36 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 86.6% | 52.5% | Top half 1st of 35 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 25.7% | 32.0% | Bottom quarter 29th of 35 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Sandwell | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 94.8% | 92.7% | Top half 11th of 36 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Sandwell’s children's services good at its last full inspection, in October 2025.
- Outstanding
- 7 of the 36 metropolitan districts
- Good
- 18 of the 36 metropolitan districts, including Sandwell
- Requires improvement
- 7 of the 36 metropolitan districts
- Inadequate
- 4 of the 36 metropolitan districts
Over time
Sandwell against the median of metropolitan districts.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Sandwell: 29.8%
- Median (metropolitan districts): 59.5%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Sandwell: 4.3
- Median (metropolitan districts): 3.8
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Sandwell: 26.8%
- Median (metropolitan districts): 36.2%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Sandwell: 35.5
- Median (metropolitan districts): 20.4
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 Sandwell. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.