Sunderland compared with metropolitan districts
Compared with the 36 metropolitan districts.
- Residents
- 287,070 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,197 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Sunderland sits
4
measures in the bottom quarter
3
measures below the middle
5
measures in the top half
Sunderland compares worst with metropolitan districts on:
- prevention cases ending with a home secured (33rd of 35; 1st is highest)
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (32nd of 36; 1st is lowest)
- council tax collected in the year it was due (30th of 36; 1st is highest)
It compares best on:
- complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents (1st of 36; 1st is lowest)
- upheld complaints per 100,000 residents (2nd of 36; 1st is lowest)
- households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households (9th of 36; 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 | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 59.4% | 59.5% | Below the middle 19th 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 | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 1.4 | 3.8 | Top half 2nd of 36 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 20.6 | 36.5 | Top half 1st 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 | No figure | 14.3% | No figure | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | No figure | 81.8% | No figure |
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 | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 67.6% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 68.1% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 73.5% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 58.6% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 84.2% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 3.3% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 82.5% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 92.4% | 93.8% | Bottom quarter 30th of 36 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 33 | 20.4 | Bottom quarter 32nd of 36 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 46.5 | 32.8 | Top half 16th of 36 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 29.8% | 36.2% | Bottom quarter 30th of 36 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 1.3 | 1.7 | Top half 9th of 36 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 6.7% | 2.8% | Below the middle 25th of 36 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 38.9% | 52.5% | Bottom quarter 33rd of 35 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 32.4% | 32.0% | Top half 17th of 35 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Sunderland | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 92.1% | 92.7% | Below the middle 20th of 36 |
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 | Sunderland | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £333 | £343 | 21st of 34 | |
| Adult social care | £546 | £484 | 7th of 34 | |
| Public health | £110 | £93 | 6th of 34 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £31 | £39 | 23rd of 34 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £120 | £92 | 4th of 34 | |
| Highways and transport | £44 | £29 | 7th of 34 | |
| Culture and leisure | £44 | £51 | 24th of 34 | |
| Planning and development | £22 | £28 | 23rd of 34 | |
| Central services | £88 | £59 | 2nd of 34 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,338 | £1,233 | 7th of 34 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Sunderland’s children's services outstanding at its last full inspection, in January 2025.
- Outstanding
- 7 of the 36 metropolitan districts, including Sunderland
- Good
- 18 of the 36 metropolitan districts
- Requires improvement
- 7 of the 36 metropolitan districts
- Inadequate
- 4 of the 36 metropolitan districts
Over time
Sunderland against the median of metropolitan districts.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Sunderland: 59.4%
- Median (metropolitan districts): 59.5%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Sunderland: 1.4
- Median (metropolitan districts): 3.8
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Sunderland: 29.8%
- Median (metropolitan districts): 36.2%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Sunderland: 33
- 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 Sunderland. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.