# Where your council tax goes in Mid Sussex

url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/england/mid-sussex/where-it-goes/
updated: 29 September 2026
licence: Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Figures: each source's own licence, listed under Sources.
publisher: [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk)

# Where your council tax goes in Mid Sussex



Last updated 29 September 2026.
Figures refresh every night. [How each figure is worked out](/methodology/).





A Band D council tax bill in **Mid Sussex** is **£2,474.26** for 2026-27, split between Mid Sussex £202.22, West Sussex County Council £1,854.35, West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase £36.01, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable £281.91, Parish and town councils (average for the area) £99.77. Shared out in proportion to what each body spends, the largest single line is adult social care at West Sussex County Council: **£655.74** of the bill. Council tax pays for 20% of the council's own spending; the rest is government grant, business rates and fees.



Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics).





## Key figures



- £2,474.26Band D bill, 2026-27


As of 6 April 2026
- £202.22Goes to Mid Sussex itself (8%)


As of 6 April 2026
- £655.74Largest line: adult social care


As of 28 September 2026
- 19.8%Of the council's money that comes from council tax, 2025-26


As of 28 September 2026




Source: [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics).






## Who gets your bill


Your council tax band
A B C D E F G H



Figures are for a **Band D** home. Bands A to H pay a fixed fraction of this, set in law.



202.22

1854.35

36.01

281.91

99.77



Mid Sussex 8%West Sussex County Council 75%West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase 1%Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable 11%Parish and town councils (average for the area) 4%



Parish precepts differ from parish to parish; this is the average across the area, and a home outside any parish pays none.





## And where does that bit go?



Choose any part of the bill to see how it divides, then keep going as far as the published returns allow. Every level has its own link you can share.





### Where the rest comes from




**Council tax pays for 19.8%** of the money
Mid Sussex had to spend in 2025-26.


**********



- Council tax 19.8% £13.1m
- Business rates 4.3% £2.8m
- General government grant 0.2% £161k
- Government grants for specific services 47.7% £31.6m
- Fees, charges and other income 28.0% £18.5m




It also put £3.6m into its reserves that year.




**Council tax pays for 30.1%** of the money
West Sussex County Council had to spend in 2025-26.


************



- Council tax 30.1% £644.5m
- Business rates 5.2% £111.1m
- General government grant 0.1% £2.8m
- Government grants for specific services 42.6% £912.4m
- Fees, charges and other income 20.5% £438.9m
- Taken from reserves 1.5% £31.0m






Council tax is pooled with the council's other money, not ring-fenced for any service. The split on this page
shares your bill out in proportion to what each body spends; it does not say what any one pound paid for.







- Your bill





### Your bill: £2,474.26


- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
£202.22

**
Your council · 8.2% of the bill
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
£1,854.35

**
County council · 74.9% of the bill
- [West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-county-adult-social-care)
£36.01

**
County adult social care precept · 1.5% of the bill
- [Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable](#d-police)
£281.91

**
Police · 11.4% of the bill
- Parish and town councils (average for the area)
£99.77

**
Parish or town council · 4.0% of the bill. Parish, town and community councils do not file spending returns with the government, so there is no national breakdown. Each publishes its own annual accounts.






- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- Mid Sussex





### Mid Sussex



£202.22 of your bill goes to Mid Sussex. It is shared out below in proportion to how
Mid Sussex spent its money in 2025-26, its latest published return.


- [Running the council](#d-council~central)
£63.23

**
31.3% of this part · £9.8m in 2025-26 · £60 per resident; similar councils £48 · up 259.6% on 2024-25
- [Environment and regulation](#d-council~environment)
£57.82

**
28.6% of this part · £9.0m in 2025-26 · £55 per resident; similar councils £57 · up 13.1% on 2024-25
- [Housing (not council homes)](#d-council~housing)
£36.84

**
18.2% of this part · £5.7m in 2025-26 · £35 per resident; similar councils £25 · down 17.9% on 2024-25
Not council homes: [see the note](#d-council~housing).
- [Planning and development](#d-council~planning-development)
£22.86

**
11.3% of this part · £3.6m in 2025-26 · £22 per resident; similar councils £28 · down 10.7% on 2024-25
- [Parks, leisure, libraries and culture](#d-council~culture-leisure)
£20.19

**
10.0% of this part · £3.1m in 2025-26 · £19 per resident; similar councils £28 · down 38.0% on 2024-25
- [Public health](#d-council~public-health)
£1.27

**
0.6% of this part · £197k in 2025-26 · £1.20 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 1.5% on 2024-25




Roads and transport brought in £1.4m more than it cost in 2025-26, so
it takes no share of your bill.







**Which councils count as similar**



Medians are across the 10 district councils in England closest in population: Preston, Canterbury, Dacorum, Oxford, Braintree, Swale, East Devon, Reigate and Banstead, Tendring, Wealden. Per-resident figures use ONS mid-year population estimates.






- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
- Running the council





### Running the council



£63.23 of your bill goes to running the council at Mid Sussex. Here is how its £9.8m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Other central services
£32.63

**
51.6% of this · £5.1m in 2025-26 · £31 per resident; similar councils £0.59
- Collecting council tax and business rates
£13.85

**
21.9% of this · £2.2m in 2025-26 · £13 per resident; similar councils £8.13 · up 2.2% on 2024-25
- Corporate and democratic core
£7.02

**
11.1% of this · £1.1m in 2025-26 · £6.68 per resident; similar councils £18 · up 25.1% on 2024-25
- Non-distributed costs (past pensions, unused assets)
£6.33

**
10.0% of this · £985k in 2025-26 · £6.02 per resident; similar councils £2.59 · up 249.3% on 2024-25
- Elections and electoral registration
£2.69

**
4.2% of this · £418k in 2025-26 · £2.56 per resident; similar councils £2.76 · down 3.9% on 2024-25
- Emergency planning
£0.71

**
1.1% of this · £110k in 2025-26 · £0.67 per resident; similar councils £0.36 · down 25.7% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
- Environment and regulation





### Environment and regulation



£57.82 of your bill goes to environment and regulation at Mid Sussex. Here is how its £9.0m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Waste collection
£28.91

**
50.0% of this · £4.5m in 2025-26 · £28 per resident; similar councils £20 · up 31.1% on 2024-25
- Street cleaning
£11.14

**
19.3% of this · £1.7m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £14 · down 3.0% on 2024-25
- Environmental health, food safety, pest control and licensing
£9.78

**
16.9% of this · £1.5m in 2025-26 · £9.31 per resident; similar councils £9.13 · up 13.3% on 2024-25
- Community safety and CCTV
£4.16

**
7.2% of this · £648k in 2025-26 · £3.96 per resident; similar councils £2.84 · up 44.0% on 2024-25
- Flood defence, land drainage and coast protection
£1.66

**
2.9% of this · £259k in 2025-26 · £1.58 per resident; similar councils £0.76 · down 45.0% on 2024-25
- Public toilets
£1.27

**
2.2% of this · £197k in 2025-26 · £1.20 per resident; similar councils £1.05 · down 5.7% on 2024-25
- Recycling and waste minimisation
£0.88

**
1.5% of this · £137k in 2025-26 · £0.84 per resident; similar councils £2.90 · down 47.9% on 2024-25
- Cemeteries and crematoria
£0.03

**
under 0.1% of this · £4k in 2025-26 · £0.02 per resident; similar councils £0.61 · no change on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
- Housing (not council homes)





### Housing (not council homes)



£36.84 of your bill goes to housing (not council homes) at Mid Sussex. Here is how its £5.7m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Homelessness and temporary accommodation
£27.24

**
73.9% of this · £4.4m in 2025-26 · £27 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 73.8% on 2024-25
- Housing benefit administration and discretionary payments
£9.15

**
24.8% of this · £1.5m in 2025-26 · £8.96 per resident; similar councils £7.40 · down 6.0% on 2024-25
- Private sector housing renewal
£0.32

**
0.9% of this · £52k in 2025-26 · £0.32 per resident; similar councils £1.33 · down 67.7% on 2024-25
- Other General Fund housing
£0.12

**
0.3% of this · £19k in 2025-26 · £0.12 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 280.0% on 2024-25







**Council homes are not in this.** Council housing is paid for through the Housing Revenue Account,
from tenants' rents, and the law keeps it separate from the General Fund that council tax goes into.
Mid Sussex reported no Housing Revenue Account for 2025-26: it has no council homes of its own, or they were transferred to a housing association.
[What council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#ring-fence).








- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
- Planning and development





### Planning and development



£22.86 of your bill goes to planning and development at Mid Sussex. Here is how its £3.6m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Planning applications (development management)
£15.79

**
69.1% of this · £2.5m in 2025-26 · £15 per resident; similar councils £4.90 · down 9.8% on 2024-25
- Planning policy
£2.45

**
10.7% of this · £381k in 2025-26 · £2.33 per resident; similar councils £4.92
- Community development
£1.95

**
8.5% of this · £303k in 2025-26 · £1.85 per resident; similar councils £3.62 · up 6.7% on 2024-25
- Economic development and business support
£1.35

**
5.9% of this · £210k in 2025-26 · £1.28 per resident; similar councils £4.72 · down 61.3% on 2024-25
- Building control
£1.33

**
5.8% of this · £207k in 2025-26 · £1.27 per resident; similar councils £1.69 · down 54.3% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
- Parks, leisure, libraries and culture





### Parks, leisure, libraries and culture



£20.19 of your bill goes to parks, leisure, libraries and culture at Mid Sussex. Here is how its £3.1m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Parks and open spaces (including play areas)
£19.86

**
98.4% of this · £3.8m in 2025-26 · £23 per resident; similar councils £14 · down 10.5% on 2024-25
- Community centres and public halls
£0.33

**
1.6% of this · £62k in 2025-26 · £0.38 per resident; similar councils £0.92 · down 28.7% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [Mid Sussex](#d-council)
- Public health





### Public health



£1.27 of your bill goes to public health at Mid Sussex. Here is how its £197k of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Other public health
£0.71

**
55.8% of this · £110k in 2025-26 · £0.67 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · no change on 2024-25
- Obesity and physical activity
£0.56

**
44.2% of this · £87k in 2025-26 · £0.53 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 3.6% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- West Sussex County Council





### West Sussex County Council



£1,854.35 of your bill goes to West Sussex County Council. It is shared out below in proportion to how
West Sussex County Council spent its money in 2025-26, its latest published return.


- [Adult social care](#d-county~adult-social-care)
£655.74

**
35.4% of this part · £386.5m in 2025-26 · £420 per resident; similar councils £450 · up 6.5% on 2024-25
- [Children's social care](#d-county~childrens-social-care)
£403.43

**
21.8% of this part · £237.8m in 2025-26 · £258 per resident; similar councils £235 · up 8.3% on 2024-25
- [Education](#d-county~education)
£348.63

**
18.8% of this part · £813.7m in 2025-26 · £883 per resident; similar councils £653 · up 9.7% on 2024-25
- [Environment and regulation](#d-county~environment)
£151.80

**
8.2% of this part · £89.5m in 2025-26 · £97 per resident; similar councils £56 · up 7.7% on 2024-25
- [Roads and transport](#d-county~highways-transport)
£122.03

**
6.6% of this part · £71.9m in 2025-26 · £78 per resident; similar councils £65 · up 6.9% on 2024-25
- [Fire and rescue](#d-county~fire)
£72.97

**
3.9% of this part · £43.0m in 2025-26 · £47 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 3.5% on 2024-25
- [Running the council](#d-county~central)
£31.28

**
1.7% of this part · £18.4m in 2025-26 · £20 per resident; similar councils £23 · up 2.1% on 2024-25
- [Parks, leisure, libraries and culture](#d-county~culture-leisure)
£22.15

**
1.2% of this part · £13.1m in 2025-26 · £14 per resident; similar councils £15 · up 3.8% on 2024-25
- Other services
£17.77

**
1.0% of this part · £10.5m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 14.1% on 2024-25
- [Housing (not council homes)](#d-county~housing)
£10.86

**
0.6% of this part · £6.4m in 2025-26 · £6.95 per resident; similar councils £2.61 · up 6.2% on 2024-25
Not council homes: [see the note](#d-county~housing).
- [Public health](#d-county~public-health)
£10.45

**
0.6% of this part · £47.4m in 2025-26 · £51 per resident; similar councils £51 · up 2.7% on 2024-25
- [Planning and development](#d-county~planning-development)
£7.24

**
0.4% of this part · £4.3m in 2025-26 · £4.63 per resident; similar councils £5.30 · down 57.3% on 2024-25





Before sharing out your bill, the part of education paid for by the Dedicated Schools Grant (£608.2m) and public health paid for by the public health grant (£41.3m) is taken off, because council tax does not pay for it.






**Which councils count as similar**



Medians are across the 10 county councils closest in population: Staffordshire County Council, Norfolk County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Devon County Council, Derbyshire County Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Suffolk County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, Cambridgeshire County Council. Per-resident figures use ONS mid-year population estimates.






- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Adult social care





### Adult social care



£655.74 of your bill goes to adult social care at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £386.5m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- [Physical support](#d-county~adult-social-care.physical)
£233.88

**
35.7% of this · £137.9m in 2025-26 · £150 per resident; similar councils £143 · up 9.2% on 2024-25
- [Learning disability support](#d-county~adult-social-care.learning-disability)
£216.38

**
33.0% of this · £127.6m in 2025-26 · £138 per resident; similar councils £145 · up 3.5% on 2024-25
- Care assessment and safeguarding
£77.42

**
11.8% of this · £45.6m in 2025-26 · £50 per resident; similar councils £40 · up 8.5% on 2024-25
- [Support with memory and cognition](#d-county~adult-social-care.memory)
£55.55

**
8.5% of this · £32.7m in 2025-26 · £36 per resident; similar councils £31 · up 30.1% on 2024-25
- [Mental health support](#d-county~adult-social-care.mental-health)
£38.93

**
5.9% of this · £22.9m in 2025-26 · £25 per resident; similar councils £33 · down 15.2% on 2024-25
- Commissioning, strategy and administration
£17.06

**
2.6% of this · £10.1m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £26 · up 5.6% on 2024-25
- Social support (carers, substance misuse, isolation, asylum)
£5.97

**
0.9% of this · £3.5m in 2025-26 · £3.82 per resident; similar councils £9.77 · up 32.0% on 2024-25
- [Sensory support](#d-county~adult-social-care.sensory)
£5.89

**
0.9% of this · £3.5m in 2025-26 · £3.77 per resident; similar councils £2.37 · down 8.5% on 2024-25
- Information and early intervention
£3.48

**
0.5% of this · £2.1m in 2025-26 · £2.23 per resident; similar councils £3.23 · down 17.7% on 2024-25
- Assistive equipment and technology
£1.19

**
0.2% of this · £702k in 2025-26 · £0.76 per resident; similar councils £5.13 · up 2.0% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- [Adult social care](#d-county~adult-social-care)
- Physical support





### Physical support



£233.88 of your bill goes to physical support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £137.9m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 65 and over
£181.63

**
77.7% of this · £107.1m in 2025-26 · £116 per resident; similar councils £109 · up 11.5% on 2024-25
- Aged 18 to 64
£52.26

**
22.3% of this · £30.8m in 2025-26 · £33 per resident; similar councils £29 · up 1.9% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- [Adult social care](#d-county~adult-social-care)
- Learning disability support





### Learning disability support



£216.38 of your bill goes to learning disability support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £127.6m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 18 to 64
£191.70

**
88.6% of this · £113.0m in 2025-26 · £123 per resident; similar councils £123 · up 2.3% on 2024-25
- Aged 65 and over
£24.68

**
11.4% of this · £14.6m in 2025-26 · £16 per resident; similar councils £17 · up 14.1% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- [Adult social care](#d-county~adult-social-care)
- Support with memory and cognition





### Support with memory and cognition



£55.55 of your bill goes to support with memory and cognition at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £32.7m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 65 and over
£54.32

**
97.8% of this · £32.0m in 2025-26 · £35 per resident; similar councils £28 · up 7.4% on 2024-25
- Aged 18 to 64
£1.23

**
2.2% of this · £723k in 2025-26 · £0.78 per resident; similar councils £2.82











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- [Adult social care](#d-county~adult-social-care)
- Mental health support





### Mental health support



£38.93 of your bill goes to mental health support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £22.9m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 18 to 64
£20.54

**
52.8% of this · £12.1m in 2025-26 · £13 per resident; similar councils £20 · down 37.9% on 2024-25
- Aged 65 and over
£18.38

**
47.2% of this · £10.8m in 2025-26 · £12 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 43.6% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- [Adult social care](#d-county~adult-social-care)
- Sensory support





### Sensory support



£5.89 of your bill goes to sensory support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £3.5m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 65 and over
£4.63

**
78.7% of this · £2.7m in 2025-26 · £2.96 per resident; similar councils £1.51 · down 1.4% on 2024-25
- Aged 18 to 64
£1.26

**
21.3% of this · £740k in 2025-26 · £0.80 per resident; similar councils £0.87 · down 27.7% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Children's social care





### Children's social care



£403.43 of your bill goes to children's social care at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £237.8m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Children looked after
£242.94

**
60.2% of this · £143.2m in 2025-26 · £155 per resident; similar councils £145 · up 15.2% on 2024-25
- Safeguarding and social work
£104.92

**
26.0% of this · £61.8m in 2025-26 · £67 per resident; similar councils £37 · up 2.8% on 2024-25
- Family support
£43.43

**
10.8% of this · £25.6m in 2025-26 · £28 per resident; similar councils £30 · up 9.7% on 2024-25
- Children's centres and early years
£5.34

**
1.3% of this · £3.1m in 2025-26 · £3.41 per resident; similar councils £4.65 · up 16.3% on 2024-25
- Youth justice
£3.73

**
0.9% of this · £2.2m in 2025-26 · £2.39 per resident; similar councils £3.15 · up 5.0% on 2024-25
- Services for young people
£3.06

**
0.8% of this · £1.8m in 2025-26 · £1.96 per resident; similar councils £3.89 · up 25.3% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Education





### Education



£348.63 of your bill goes to education at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £813.7m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Primary schools
£88.87

**
25.5% of this · £207.4m in 2025-26 · £225 per resident; similar councils £235 · down 5.0% on 2024-25
- Secondary schools
£81.00

**
23.2% of this · £189.0m in 2025-26 · £205 per resident; similar councils £48 · down 0.7% on 2024-25
- Special schools and alternative provision
£76.05

**
21.8% of this · £177.5m in 2025-26 · £193 per resident; similar councils £138 · up 23.6% on 2024-25
- Early years and nursery
£57.53

**
16.5% of this · £134.3m in 2025-26 · £146 per resident; similar councils £141 · up 39.1% on 2024-25
- Other education
£35.86

**
10.3% of this · £83.7m in 2025-26 · £91 per resident; similar councils £88 · up 12.9% on 2024-25
- Post-16
£9.32

**
2.7% of this · £21.8m in 2025-26 · £24 per resident; similar councils £14 · up 18.1% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Environment and regulation





### Environment and regulation



£151.80 of your bill goes to environment and regulation at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £89.5m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Waste disposal
£92.59

**
61.0% of this · £55.1m in 2025-26 · £60 per resident; similar councils £38 · up 6.7% on 2024-25
- Recycling and waste minimisation
£52.24

**
34.4% of this · £31.1m in 2025-26 · £34 per resident; similar councils £11 · up 11.9% on 2024-25
- Trading standards
£2.52

**
1.7% of this · £1.5m in 2025-26 · £1.63 per resident; similar councils £2.42 · down 1.7% on 2024-25
- Community safety and CCTV
£1.71

**
1.1% of this · £1.0m in 2025-26 · £1.10 per resident; similar councils £0.01 · up 10.9% on 2024-25
- Cemeteries and crematoria
£1.33

**
0.9% of this · £790k in 2025-26 · £0.86 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 11.1% on 2024-25
- Other environmental services
£0.94

**
0.6% of this · £557k in 2025-26 · £0.60 per resident; similar councils £-0.13 · up 3.5% on 2024-25
- Flood defence, land drainage and coast protection
£0.41

**
0.3% of this · £241k in 2025-26 · £0.26 per resident; similar councils £1.48 · down 44.2% on 2024-25
- Street cleaning
£0.07

**
under 0.1% of this · £40k in 2025-26 · £0.04 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · down 84.4% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Roads and transport





### Roads and transport



£122.03 of your bill goes to roads and transport at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £71.9m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- [Road and bridge maintenance](#d-county~highways-transport.maintenance)
£47.65

**
39.0% of this · £30.3m in 2025-26 · £33 per resident; similar councils £21 · up 3.4% on 2024-25
- Street lighting (including energy)
£31.18

**
25.5% of this · £19.8m in 2025-26 · £22 per resident; similar councils £6.60 · up 0.8% on 2024-25
- Concessionary bus fares
£23.35

**
19.1% of this · £14.8m in 2025-26 · £16 per resident; similar councils £9.54 · up 17.7% on 2024-25
- Support for bus, rail and other public transport
£15.05

**
12.3% of this · £9.6m in 2025-26 · £10 per resident; similar councils £16 · up 21.5% on 2024-25
- Winter service (gritting)
£3.95

**
3.2% of this · £2.5m in 2025-26 · £2.72 per resident; similar councils £4.34 · up 30.2% on 2024-25
- Traffic management and road safety
£0.85

**
0.7% of this · £540k in 2025-26 · £0.59 per resident; similar councils £1.55 · down 35.5% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- [Roads and transport](#d-county~highways-transport)
- Road and bridge maintenance





### Road and bridge maintenance



£47.65 of your bill goes to road and bridge maintenance at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £30.3m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Environmental, safety and routine maintenance
£44.99

**
94.4% of this · £28.6m in 2025-26 · £31 per resident; similar councils £17 · up 5.0% on 2024-25
- Structural maintenance (resurfacing, bridges)
£2.66

**
5.6% of this · £1.7m in 2025-26 · £1.84 per resident; similar councils £3.54 · down 17.2% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Fire and rescue





### Fire and rescue



£72.97 of your bill goes to fire and rescue at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £43.0m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Firefighting and rescue
£57.03

**
78.2% of this · £33.6m in 2025-26 · £37 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 3.5% on 2024-25
- Community fire safety
£15.52

**
21.3% of this · £9.1m in 2025-26 · £9.93 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 6.0% on 2024-25
- Fire emergency planning
£0.42

**
0.6% of this · £248k in 2025-26 · £0.27 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · down 47.3% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Running the council





### Running the council



£31.28 of your bill goes to running the council at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £18.4m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Local welfare assistance
£14.59

**
46.6% of this · £9.1m in 2025-26 · £9.84 per resident; similar councils £4.30 · down 14.8% on 2024-25
- Corporate and democratic core
£9.39

**
30.0% of this · £5.8m in 2025-26 · £6.33 per resident; similar councils £6.39 · up 18.0% on 2024-25
- Coroners' and other courts
£3.40

**
10.9% of this · £2.1m in 2025-26 · £2.29 per resident; similar councils £2.70 · up 4.0% on 2024-25
- Non-distributed costs (past pensions, unused assets)
£3.19

**
10.2% of this · £2.0m in 2025-26 · £2.15 per resident; similar councils £1.09 · up 37.7% on 2024-25
- Emergency planning
£0.40

**
1.3% of this · £248k in 2025-26 · £0.27 per resident; similar councils £0.46
- Elections and electoral registration
£0.32

**
1.0% of this · £199k in 2025-26 · £0.22 per resident; similar councils £1.67
- Collecting council tax and business rates
£0.00

**
under 0.1% of this · £2k in 2025-26 · £0.00 per resident; similar councils £0.00











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Parks, leisure, libraries and culture





### Parks, leisure, libraries and culture



£22.15 of your bill goes to parks, leisure, libraries and culture at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £13.1m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Libraries
£16.85

**
76.1% of this · £9.9m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £8.43 · up 3.2% on 2024-25
- Parks and open spaces (including play areas)
£3.40

**
15.3% of this · £2.0m in 2025-26 · £2.17 per resident; similar councils £2.67 · up 8.1% on 2024-25
- Museums, arts, heritage and archives
£1.46

**
6.6% of this · £858k in 2025-26 · £0.93 per resident; similar councils £2.04 · down 0.6% on 2024-25
- Sport and leisure
£0.44

**
2.0% of this · £259k in 2025-26 · £0.28 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 12.6% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Housing (not council homes)





### Housing (not council homes)



£10.86 of your bill goes to housing (not council homes) at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £6.4m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Homelessness and temporary accommodation
£7.85

**
72.3% of this · £4.6m in 2025-26 · £5.02 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · down 8.4% on 2024-25
- Supporting People and welfare services
£2.42

**
22.3% of this · £1.4m in 2025-26 · £1.55 per resident; similar councils £2.60 · up 90.6% on 2024-25
- Other General Fund housing
£0.59

**
5.4% of this · £348k in 2025-26 · £0.38 per resident; similar councils £0.02 · up 53.3% on 2024-25







**Council homes are not in this.** Council housing is paid for through the Housing Revenue Account,
from tenants' rents, and the law keeps it separate from the General Fund that council tax goes into.
West Sussex County Council reported no Housing Revenue Account for 2025-26: it has no council homes of its own, or they were transferred to a housing association.
[What council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#ring-fence).








- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Public health





### Public health



£10.45 of your bill goes to public health at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £47.4m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Health visiting and children's 0-5 services
£2.88

**
27.6% of this · £13.1m in 2025-26 · £14 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 3.0% on 2024-25
- Drug and alcohol services
£2.30

**
22.0% of this · £10.4m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £11 · up 2.0% on 2024-25
- Other public health
£1.66

**
15.9% of this · £7.5m in 2025-26 · £8.17 per resident; similar councils £5.78 · up 6.2% on 2024-25
- Sexual health
£1.30

**
12.5% of this · £5.9m in 2025-26 · £6.43 per resident; similar councils £8.19 · down 4.1% on 2024-25
- Children's 5-19 programmes
£0.61

**
5.9% of this · £2.8m in 2025-26 · £3.03 per resident; similar councils £4.41 · up 16.7% on 2024-25
- NHS health checks and health protection
£0.60

**
5.7% of this · £2.7m in 2025-26 · £2.94 per resident; similar councils £2.42 · down 25.8% on 2024-25
- Stop smoking and tobacco control
£0.50

**
4.8% of this · £2.3m in 2025-26 · £2.49 per resident; similar councils £2.42 · up 22.6% on 2024-25
- Obesity and physical activity
£0.47

**
4.5% of this · £2.1m in 2025-26 · £2.33 per resident; similar councils £2.51 · up 24.3% on 2024-25
- Public mental health
£0.12

**
1.1% of this · £542k in 2025-26 · £0.59 per resident; similar councils £0.84 · up 39.0% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council](#d-county)
- Planning and development





### Planning and development



£7.24 of your bill goes to planning and development at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £4.3m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Economic development and business support
£3.35

**
46.2% of this · £2.5m in 2025-26 · £2.68 per resident; similar councils £3.06 · down 61.2% on 2024-25
- Community development
£3.07

**
42.4% of this · £2.3m in 2025-26 · £2.47 per resident; similar councils £0.74 · up 11.5% on 2024-25
- Planning policy
£0.82

**
11.4% of this · £608k in 2025-26 · £0.66 per resident; similar councils £0.26 · down 35.1% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase





### West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase



£36.01 of your bill is this year's adult social care precept, which councils may raise on top of
the usual limit for adult social care. It is shown against how West Sussex County Council's adult social care spending of
£386.5m divided in 2025-26. MHCLG publishes only this year's increase; the running
total since 2016-17 printed on your bill is in the council part above.


- [Physical support](#d-county-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.physical)
£12.84

**
35.7% of this precept · £137.9m in 2025-26 · £150 per resident; similar councils £143 · up 9.2% on 2024-25
- [Learning disability support](#d-county-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.learning-disability)
£11.88

**
33.0% of this precept · £127.6m in 2025-26 · £138 per resident; similar councils £145 · up 3.5% on 2024-25
- Care assessment and safeguarding
£4.25

**
11.8% of this precept · £45.6m in 2025-26 · £50 per resident; similar councils £40 · up 8.5% on 2024-25
- [Support with memory and cognition](#d-county-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.memory)
£3.05

**
8.5% of this precept · £32.7m in 2025-26 · £36 per resident; similar councils £31 · up 30.1% on 2024-25
- [Mental health support](#d-county-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.mental-health)
£2.14

**
5.9% of this precept · £22.9m in 2025-26 · £25 per resident; similar councils £33 · down 15.2% on 2024-25
- Commissioning, strategy and administration
£0.94

**
2.6% of this precept · £10.1m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £26 · up 5.6% on 2024-25
- Social support (carers, substance misuse, isolation, asylum)
£0.33

**
0.9% of this precept · £3.5m in 2025-26 · £3.82 per resident; similar councils £9.77 · up 32.0% on 2024-25
- [Sensory support](#d-county-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.sensory)
£0.32

**
0.9% of this precept · £3.5m in 2025-26 · £3.77 per resident; similar councils £2.37 · down 8.5% on 2024-25
- Information and early intervention
£0.19

**
0.5% of this precept · £2.1m in 2025-26 · £2.23 per resident; similar councils £3.23 · down 17.7% on 2024-25
- Assistive equipment and technology
£0.07

**
0.2% of this precept · £702k in 2025-26 · £0.76 per resident; similar councils £5.13 · up 2.0% on 2024-25





- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-county-adult-social-care)
- Physical support





### Physical support



£12.84 of your bill goes to physical support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £137.9m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 65 and over
£9.97

**
77.7% of this · £107.1m in 2025-26 · £116 per resident; similar councils £109 · up 11.5% on 2024-25
- Aged 18 to 64
£2.87

**
22.3% of this · £30.8m in 2025-26 · £33 per resident; similar councils £29 · up 1.9% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-county-adult-social-care)
- Learning disability support





### Learning disability support



£11.88 of your bill goes to learning disability support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £127.6m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 18 to 64
£10.53

**
88.6% of this · £113.0m in 2025-26 · £123 per resident; similar councils £123 · up 2.3% on 2024-25
- Aged 65 and over
£1.36

**
11.4% of this · £14.6m in 2025-26 · £16 per resident; similar councils £17 · up 14.1% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-county-adult-social-care)
- Support with memory and cognition





### Support with memory and cognition



£3.05 of your bill goes to support with memory and cognition at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £32.7m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 65 and over
£2.98

**
97.8% of this · £32.0m in 2025-26 · £35 per resident; similar councils £28 · up 7.4% on 2024-25
- Aged 18 to 64
£0.07

**
2.2% of this · £723k in 2025-26 · £0.78 per resident; similar councils £2.82











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-county-adult-social-care)
- Mental health support





### Mental health support



£2.14 of your bill goes to mental health support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £22.9m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 18 to 64
£1.13

**
52.8% of this · £12.1m in 2025-26 · £13 per resident; similar councils £20 · down 37.9% on 2024-25
- Aged 65 and over
£1.01

**
47.2% of this · £10.8m in 2025-26 · £12 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 43.6% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- [West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-county-adult-social-care)
- Sensory support





### Sensory support



£0.32 of your bill goes to sensory support at West Sussex County Council. Here is how its £3.5m of net spending on it divides in the return.


- Aged 65 and over
£0.25

**
78.7% of this · £2.7m in 2025-26 · £2.96 per resident; similar councils £1.51 · down 1.4% on 2024-25
- Aged 18 to 64
£0.07

**
21.3% of this · £740k in 2025-26 · £0.80 per resident; similar councils £0.87 · down 27.7% on 2024-25











- [Your bill](#d-bill)
- Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable





### Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable



£281.91 of your bill is this year's adult social care precept, which councils may raise on top of
the usual limit for adult social care. It is shown against how Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable's adult social care spending of
£419.3m divided in 2025-26. MHCLG publishes only this year's increase; the running
total since 2016-17 printed on your bill is in the council part above.
















## Parks, street cleaning and roads here



What Mid Sussex and West Sussex County Council spent, net of income, on the lines readers ask about most. Roads and
street cleaning are also shown per mile of road the council looks after, where it is the highway authority. Gully
cleaning and verge cutting are inside routine maintenance; no return splits them out.





| Line | Net spending | Per resident | Similar councils, per resident | Per mile of road | Change |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Parks and open spaces (including play areas)Details | £3.8m | £23 | £14 | — | down 10.5% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£23Similar councils, per resident£14Per mile of road—Changedown 10.5% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Street cleaningDetails | £1.7m | £11 | £14 | — | down 3.0% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£11Similar councils, per resident£14Per mile of road—Changedown 3.0% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Road and bridge maintenanceDetails | £33k | £0.20 | £0.65 | — | down 50.0% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£0.20Similar councils, per resident£0.65Per mile of road—Changedown 50.0% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Environmental, safety and routine maintenanceDetails | £33k | £0.20 | £0.65 | — | down 50.0% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£0.20Similar councils, per resident£0.65Per mile of road—Changedown 50.0% on 2024-25 | | | | | |






| Line | Net spending | Per resident | Similar councils, per resident | Per mile of road | Change |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Parks and open spaces (including play areas)Details | £2.0m | £2.17 | £3.00 | — | up 8.1% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£2.17Similar councils, per resident£3.00Per mile of road—Changeup 8.1% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Street cleaningDetails | £40k | £0.04 | £1.02 | £16 (similar: £322) | down 84.4% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£0.04Similar councils, per resident£1.02Per mile of road£16 (similar: £322)Changedown 84.4% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Road and bridge maintenanceDetails | £30.3m | £33 | £21 | £11,903 (similar: £5,329) | up 3.4% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£33Similar councils, per resident£21Per mile of road£11,903 (similar: £5,329)Changeup 3.4% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Environmental, safety and routine maintenanceDetails | £28.6m | £31 | £17 | £11,238 (similar: £3,818) | up 5.0% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£31Similar councils, per resident£17Per mile of road£11,238 (similar: £3,818)Changeup 5.0% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Structural maintenance (resurfacing, bridges)Details | £1.7m | £1.84 | £3.54 | £665 (similar: £894) | down 17.2% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£1.84Similar councils, per resident£3.54Per mile of road£665 (similar: £894)Changedown 17.2% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Winter service (gritting)Details | £2.5m | £2.72 | £4.34 | £986 (similar: £947) | up 30.2% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£2.72Similar councils, per resident£4.34Per mile of road£986 (similar: £947)Changeup 30.2% on 2024-25 | | | | | |
| Street lighting (including energy)Details | £19.8m | £22 | £6.60 | £7,788 (similar: £1,626) | up 0.8% on 2024-25 |
| Per resident£22Similar councils, per resident£6.60Per mile of road£7,788 (similar: £1,626)Changeup 0.8% on 2024-25 | | | | | |





Miles of road: Department for Transport road lengths, 2025; locally managed major roads and all minor roads. More on [what council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#local-environment).





## What it adds up to






| Service | Per resident | Median |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Running the councilDetails | £60 | £41 |
| Median£41 | | |
| Environment and regulationDetails | £55 | £56 |
| Median£56 | | |
| Housing (not council homes)Details | £35 | £24 |
| Median£24 | | |
| Planning and developmentDetails | £22 | £22 |
| Median£22 | | |
| Parks, leisure, libraries and cultureDetails | £19 | £23 |
| Median£23 | | |
| Public healthDetails | £1.20 | £0.47 |
| Median£0.47 | | |
| Roads and transportDetails | £-8.50 | £-4.18 |
| Median£-4.18 | | |





- Mid Sussex spent **43.9%** of its gross service spending on its own staff in 2025-26 (median for district councils in England: 39.3%); the rest went on suppliers, contractors, grants, benefits and other running costs.








| Service | Per resident | Median |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EducationDetails | £883 | £714 |
| Median£714 | | |
| Adult social careDetails | £420 | £457 |
| Median£457 | | |
| Children's social careDetails | £258 | £239 |
| Median£239 | | |
| Environment and regulationDetails | £97 | £57 |
| Median£57 | | |
| Roads and transportDetails | £78 | £65 |
| Median£65 | | |
| Public healthDetails | £51 | £53 |
| Median£53 | | |
| Fire and rescueDetails | £47 | £48 |
| Median£48 | | |
| Running the councilDetails | £20 | £23 |
| Median£23 | | |
| Parks, leisure, libraries and cultureDetails | £14 | £17 |
| Median£17 | | |
| Other servicesDetails | £11 | £0.42 |
| Median£0.42 | | |
| Housing (not council homes)Details | £6.95 | £2.98 |
| Median£2.98 | | |
| Planning and developmentDetails | £4.63 | £5.56 |
| Median£5.56 | | |





- West Sussex County Council spent **33.3%** of its gross service spending on its own staff in 2025-26 (median for county councils: 28.1%); the rest went on suppliers, contractors, grants, benefits and other running costs.








## What this data does and doesn't show



- These are each body's own figures, as reported to government in its revenue outturn return. Net spending is after the fees, charges and grants a service brings in.

- Your bill is for 2026-27; it is shared out using the latest published return, which covers an earlier year. The mix of spending changes little from one year to the next, but it does change.

- Council tax is not ring-fenced: this shows your bill in proportion to spending, not what your money bought. Where a precept is set aside for adult social care, it is shown against adult social care.

- No council publishes spending at street or property level, so nothing here says what was spent near you.

- Sub-service lines are the ones the national returns itemise. Councils describe their own budgets differently; their budget books and statements of accounts have more detail.






## Sources



- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, [Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England: Table 10, local authority level data](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a02eeeccd2e0e8b5b20b449/Table_10_2026-27.ods), published 25 March 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, [Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: Revenue Outturn multi-year data set](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ab26ffffe72ed1e2b02ee74/Revenue_Outturn_time_series_data_v4.csv), published 28 September 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0.




How the split is worked out, and how the three nations' returns are matched to one list of services, is on the
[methodology page](/methodology/#council-spending). The dataset is on the [data page](/data/#council-spending).
See also [council tax in Mid Sussex](/council-tax/england/mid-sussex/) and [everything else about Mid Sussex](/your-area/mid-sussex/).





## Common questions


What does council tax pay for in Mid Sussex?
A Band D bill of £2,474.26 is split between Mid Sussex, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council: adult social care precept, this year's increase, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable, Parish and town councils (average for the area). In proportion to spending, the largest line is adult social care, £655.74.Is council tax ring-fenced for particular services?
No. Council tax is pooled with grants, business rates and fees. The adult social care precept is the exception: councils raise it for adult social care.





## Sources for this page





| Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics) | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | the 2026–27 financial year | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) |
| [Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: Revenue Outturn multi-year data set](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ab26ffffe72ed1e2b02ee74/Revenue_Outturn_time_series_data_v4.csv) | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 28 September 2026 | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) |





Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations
are ours, under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Related pages

- [Next in this section: Parking income in Mid Sussex](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/parking/mid-sussex/)
- [Back to Mid Sussex: your area](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/your-area/mid-sussex/)
- [How much is council tax and what does it pay for?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/)
- [Who is my MP, and what does their office cost?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/mps/)
- [Where does my tax money actually go?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/for-every-100-pounds-of-tax/)

## More from this publisher

- [UK tax calculators](https://howlongisit.co.uk)

Published by [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). The figures belong to the publishers listed under Sources and are used under their licences. Figures last updated 29 September 2026.