# Where your council tax goes in Wolverhampton url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/england/wolverhampton/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 Wolverhampton Last updated 29 September 2026. Figures refresh every night. [How each figure is worked out](/methodology/). A Band D council tax bill in **Wolverhampton** is **£2,538.99** for 2026-27, split between Wolverhampton £2,167.21, Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase £42.09, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable £244.50, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority £85.19. Shared out in proportion to what each body spends, the largest single line is adult social care at Wolverhampton: **£800.44** of the bill. Council tax pays for 16% 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 - £2,538.99Band D bill, 2026-27 As of 6 April 2026 - £2,167.21Goes to Wolverhampton itself (85%) As of 6 April 2026 - £800.44Largest line: adult social care As of 28 September 2026 - 15.6%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. 2167.21 42.09 244.50 85.19 Wolverhampton 85%Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase 2%West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable 10%West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority 3% ## 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 15.6%** of the money Wolverhampton had to spend in 2025-26. ******** - Council tax 15.6% £142.7m - Business rates 15.7% £143.2m - Government grants for specific services 41.9% £383.1m - Fees, charges and other income 26.8% £245.3m It also put £16.0m into its reserves that year. 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: £2,538.99 - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) £2,167.21 ** Your council · 85.4% of the bill - [Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-adult-social-care) £42.09 ** Adult social care precept · 1.7% of the bill - [West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable](#d-police) £244.50 ** Police · 9.6% of the bill - [West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority](#d-fire) £85.19 ** Fire and rescue · 3.4% of the bill - [Your bill](#d-bill) - Wolverhampton ### Wolverhampton £2,167.21 of your bill goes to Wolverhampton. It is shared out below in proportion to how Wolverhampton spent its money in 2025-26, its latest published return. - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) £800.44 ** 36.9% of this part · £135.7m in 2025-26 · £482 per resident; similar councils £465 · up 9.5% on 2024-25 - [Children's social care](#d-council~childrens-social-care) £578.81 ** 26.7% of this part · £98.1m in 2025-26 · £349 per resident; similar councils £344 · up 10.6% on 2024-25 - [Education](#d-council~education) £276.21 ** 12.7% of this part · £206.0m in 2025-26 · £732 per resident; similar councils £843 · up 2.5% on 2024-25 - [Environment and regulation](#d-council~environment) £134.25 ** 6.2% of this part · £22.8m in 2025-26 · £81 per resident; similar councils £87 · up 2.6% on 2024-25 - [Parks, leisure, libraries and culture](#d-council~culture-leisure) £108.00 ** 5.0% of this part · £18.3m in 2025-26 · £65 per resident; similar councils £45 · down 0.5% on 2024-25 - [Running the council](#d-council~central) £82.06 ** 3.8% of this part · £13.9m in 2025-26 · £49 per resident; similar councils £76 · up 41.9% on 2024-25 - [Housing (not council homes)](#d-council~housing) £69.68 ** 3.2% of this part · £11.8m in 2025-26 · £42 per resident; similar councils £33 · up 27.1% on 2024-25 Not council homes: [see the note](#d-council~housing). - [Roads and transport](#d-council~highways-transport) £65.91 ** 3.0% of this part · £11.2m in 2025-26 · £40 per resident; similar councils £27 · no change on 2024-25 - [Planning and development](#d-council~planning-development) £48.92 ** 2.3% of this part · £8.3m in 2025-26 · £29 per resident; similar councils £25 · down 10.5% on 2024-25 - Other services £2.94 ** 0.1% of this part · £498k in 2025-26 · £1.77 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · down 48.7% on 2024-25 Before sharing out your bill, the part of education paid for by the Dedicated Schools Grant (£159.1m) and public health paid for by the public health grant (£24.9m) is taken off, because council tax does not pay for it. **Which councils count as similar** Medians are across the 10 metropolitan borough councils closest in population: Rotherham, Sunderland, Sefton, Walsall, Salford, Stockport, Bolton, Barnsley, Barnsley, Oldham. Per-resident figures use ONS mid-year population estimates. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Adult social care ### Adult social care £800.44 of your bill goes to adult social care at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £135.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - [Learning disability support](#d-council~adult-social-care.learning-disability) £278.74 ** 34.8% of this · £47.4m in 2025-26 · £168 per resident; similar councils £133 · up 15.2% on 2024-25 - [Physical support](#d-council~adult-social-care.physical) £256.36 ** 32.0% of this · £43.6m in 2025-26 · £155 per resident; similar councils £142 · up 26.5% on 2024-25 - Care assessment and safeguarding £98.87 ** 12.4% of this · £16.8m in 2025-26 · £60 per resident; similar councils £50 · up 3.0% on 2024-25 - [Mental health support](#d-council~adult-social-care.mental-health) £72.19 ** 9.0% of this · £12.3m in 2025-26 · £44 per resident; similar councils £48 · up 1.7% on 2024-25 - Commissioning, strategy and administration £47.14 ** 5.9% of this · £8.0m in 2025-26 · £28 per resident; similar councils £20 · down 14.3% on 2024-25 - [Support with memory and cognition](#d-council~adult-social-care.memory) £33.50 ** 4.2% of this · £5.7m in 2025-26 · £20 per resident; similar councils £29 · down 16.6% on 2024-25 - Social support (carers, substance misuse, isolation, asylum) £9.89 ** 1.2% of this · £1.7m in 2025-26 · £5.98 per resident; similar councils £8.13 · up 7.3% on 2024-25 - Information and early intervention £2.75 ** 0.3% of this · £467k in 2025-26 · £1.66 per resident; similar councils £2.97 · down 27.1% on 2024-25 - [Sensory support](#d-council~adult-social-care.sensory) £1.02 ** 0.1% of this · £173k in 2025-26 · £0.61 per resident; similar councils £1.49 · down 41.4% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Learning disability support ### Learning disability support £278.74 of your bill goes to learning disability support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £47.4m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 18 to 64 £258.35 ** 92.7% of this · £43.9m in 2025-26 · £156 per resident; similar councils £118 · up 22.1% on 2024-25 - Aged 65 and over £20.39 ** 7.3% of this · £3.5m in 2025-26 · £12 per resident; similar councils £17 · down 32.7% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Physical support ### Physical support £256.36 of your bill goes to physical support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £43.6m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 65 and over £170.65 ** 66.6% of this · £29.0m in 2025-26 · £103 per resident; similar councils £111 · up 28.6% on 2024-25 - Aged 18 to 64 £85.71 ** 33.4% of this · £14.6m in 2025-26 · £52 per resident; similar councils £32 · up 22.4% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Mental health support ### Mental health support £72.19 of your bill goes to mental health support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £12.3m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 18 to 64 £56.82 ** 78.7% of this · £9.7m in 2025-26 · £34 per resident; similar councils £28 · up 15.0% on 2024-25 - Aged 65 and over £15.37 ** 21.3% of this · £2.6m in 2025-26 · £9.28 per resident; similar councils £19 · down 28.8% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Support with memory and cognition ### Support with memory and cognition £33.50 of your bill goes to support with memory and cognition at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £5.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 65 and over £29.53 ** 88.2% of this · £5.0m in 2025-26 · £18 per resident; similar councils £27 · down 15.5% on 2024-25 - Aged 18 to 64 £3.96 ** 11.8% of this · £674k in 2025-26 · £2.39 per resident; similar councils £2.75 · down 24.0% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Sensory support ### Sensory support £1.02 of your bill goes to sensory support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £173k of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 18 to 64 £0.92 ** 90.8% of this · £157k in 2025-26 · £0.56 per resident; similar councils £0.70 · down 25.6% on 2024-25 - Aged 65 and over £0.09 ** 9.2% of this · £16k in 2025-26 · £0.06 per resident; similar councils £1.06 · down 81.0% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Children's social care ### Children's social care £578.81 of your bill goes to children's social care at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £98.1m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Children looked after £304.79 ** 52.7% of this · £51.7m in 2025-26 · £184 per resident; similar councils £206 · up 18.2% on 2024-25 - Safeguarding and social work £104.29 ** 18.0% of this · £17.7m in 2025-26 · £63 per resident; similar councils £82 · down 6.1% on 2024-25 - Family support £101.14 ** 17.5% of this · £17.1m in 2025-26 · £61 per resident; similar councils £38 · up 19.6% on 2024-25 - Services for young people £22.63 ** 3.9% of this · £3.8m in 2025-26 · £14 per resident; similar councils £8.61 · down 2.0% on 2024-25 - Children's centres and early years £19.23 ** 3.3% of this · £3.3m in 2025-26 · £12 per resident; similar councils £3.60 · up 21.3% on 2024-25 - Youth justice £16.41 ** 2.8% of this · £2.8m in 2025-26 · £9.89 per resident; similar councils £4.81 · down 7.2% on 2024-25 - Other children's and families' services £9.50 ** 1.6% of this · £1.6m in 2025-26 · £5.72 per resident; similar councils £0.42 · down 9.1% on 2024-25 - Asylum-seeking children £0.82 ** 0.1% of this · £139k in 2025-26 · £0.49 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · down 70.0% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Education ### Education £276.21 of your bill goes to education at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £206.0m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Primary schools £94.83 ** 34.3% of this · £70.7m in 2025-26 · £251 per resident; similar councils £376 · down 11.5% on 2024-25 - Special schools and alternative provision £58.67 ** 21.2% of this · £43.8m in 2025-26 · £155 per resident; similar councils £138 · up 11.3% on 2024-25 - Early years and nursery £46.58 ** 16.9% of this · £34.7m in 2025-26 · £123 per resident; similar councils £153 · up 27.2% on 2024-25 - Secondary schools £42.89 ** 15.5% of this · £32.0m in 2025-26 · £114 per resident; similar councils £81 · up 7.6% on 2024-25 - Other education £27.26 ** 9.9% of this · £20.3m in 2025-26 · £72 per resident; similar councils £76 · down 2.3% on 2024-25 - Post-16 £5.98 ** 2.2% of this · £4.5m in 2025-26 · £16 per resident; similar councils £23 · up 12.0% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Environment and regulation ### Environment and regulation £134.25 of your bill goes to environment and regulation at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £22.8m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Recycling and waste minimisation £48.57 ** 36.2% of this · £8.5m in 2025-26 · £30 per resident; similar councils £10 · up 86.8% on 2024-25 - Waste disposal £35.57 ** 26.5% of this · £6.2m in 2025-26 · £22 per resident; similar councils £13 · down 32.1% on 2024-25 - Environmental health, food safety, pest control and licensing £17.67 ** 13.2% of this · £3.1m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £7.17 · down 0.2% on 2024-25 - Street cleaning £17.24 ** 12.8% of this · £3.0m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £14 · down 2.6% on 2024-25 - Community safety and CCTV £6.89 ** 5.1% of this · £1.2m in 2025-26 · £4.29 per resident; similar councils £6.91 · up 35.3% on 2024-25 - Waste collection £4.22 ** 3.1% of this · £740k in 2025-26 · £2.63 per resident; similar councils £28 · down 49.9% on 2024-25 - Public toilets £2.34 ** 1.7% of this · £410k in 2025-26 · £1.46 per resident; similar councils £0.01 · up 23.9% on 2024-25 - Trading standards £1.25 ** 0.9% of this · £220k in 2025-26 · £0.78 per resident; similar councils £1.40 · down 3.5% on 2024-25 - Cemeteries and crematoria £0.50 ** 0.4% of this · £87k in 2025-26 · £0.31 per resident; similar councils £-1.75 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Parks, leisure, libraries and culture ### Parks, leisure, libraries and culture £108.00 of your bill goes to parks, leisure, libraries and culture at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £18.3m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Sport and leisure £35.41 ** 32.8% of this · £6.0m in 2025-26 · £21 per resident; similar councils £7.09 · up 4.6% on 2024-25 - Parks and open spaces (including play areas) £22.92 ** 21.2% of this · £3.9m in 2025-26 · £14 per resident; similar councils £13 · down 0.7% on 2024-25 - Museums, arts, heritage and archives £22.56 ** 20.9% of this · £3.8m in 2025-26 · £14 per resident; similar councils £10 · down 16.0% on 2024-25 - Libraries £18.34 ** 17.0% of this · £3.1m in 2025-26 · £11 per resident; similar councils £13 · down 2.8% on 2024-25 - Community centres and public halls £8.77 ** 8.1% of this · £1.5m in 2025-26 · £5.28 per resident; similar councils £0.28 · up 49.7% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Running the council ### Running the council £82.06 of your bill goes to running the council at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £13.9m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Corporate and democratic core £38.31 ** 46.7% of this · £6.6m in 2025-26 · £24 per resident; similar councils £23 · up 19.6% on 2024-25 - Collecting council tax and business rates £20.54 ** 25.0% of this · £3.6m in 2025-26 · £13 per resident; similar councils £5.73 · down 11.0% on 2024-25 - Non-distributed costs (past pensions, unused assets) £16.02 ** 19.5% of this · £2.8m in 2025-26 · £9.85 per resident; similar councils £6.85 · down 5.5% on 2024-25 - Elections and electoral registration £3.55 ** 4.3% of this · £615k in 2025-26 · £2.19 per resident; similar councils £2.33 · down 59.4% on 2024-25 - Coroners' and other courts £3.13 ** 3.8% of this · £542k in 2025-26 · £1.93 per resident; similar councils £3.44 · down 9.5% on 2024-25 - Emergency planning £0.51 ** 0.6% of this · £88k in 2025-26 · £0.31 per resident; similar councils £0.60 · up 183.9% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Housing (not council homes) ### Housing (not council homes) £69.68 of your bill goes to housing (not council homes) at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £11.8m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Homelessness and temporary accommodation £49.24 ** 70.7% of this · £8.4m in 2025-26 · £30 per resident; similar councils £18 · up 151.5% on 2024-25 - Housing benefit administration and discretionary payments £11.77 ** 16.9% of this · £2.0m in 2025-26 · £7.12 per resident; similar councils £6.95 · up 1.3% on 2024-25 - Supporting People and welfare services £4.39 ** 6.3% of this · £748k in 2025-26 · £2.66 per resident; similar councils £1.18 · down 76.8% on 2024-25 - Private sector housing renewal £4.25 ** 6.1% of this · £725k in 2025-26 · £2.58 per resident; similar councils £0.14 · down 9.4% on 2024-25 - Housing strategy, advice and enabling £0.03 ** under 0.1% of this · £5k in 2025-26 · £0.02 per resident; similar councils £0.84 · up 150.0% 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. Wolverhampton's Housing Revenue Account took in £119.8m and spent £117.0m in 2025-26. [What council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#ring-fence). - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Roads and transport ### Roads and transport £65.91 of your bill goes to roads and transport at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £11.2m of net spending on it divides in the return. - [Road and bridge maintenance](#d-council~highways-transport.maintenance) £22.93 ** 34.8% of this · £4.1m in 2025-26 · £15 per resident; similar councils £11 · up 19.7% on 2024-25 - Transport planning and policy £18.21 ** 27.6% of this · £3.3m in 2025-26 · £12 per resident; similar councils £2.04 · up 13.8% on 2024-25 - Street lighting (including energy) £12.75 ** 19.3% of this · £2.3m in 2025-26 · £8.14 per resident; similar councils £9.30 · down 26.1% on 2024-25 - Traffic management and road safety £8.83 ** 13.4% of this · £1.6m in 2025-26 · £5.64 per resident; similar councils £1.12 · down 24.4% on 2024-25 - Winter service (gritting) £3.18 ** 4.8% of this · £571k in 2025-26 · £2.03 per resident; similar councils £3.47 · up 48.7% on 2024-25 - Support for bus, rail and other public transport £0.01 ** under 0.1% of this · £1k in 2025-26 · £0.00 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · no change on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - [Roads and transport](#d-council~highways-transport) - Road and bridge maintenance ### Road and bridge maintenance £22.93 of your bill goes to road and bridge maintenance at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £4.1m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Environmental, safety and routine maintenance £19.97 ** 87.1% of this · £3.6m in 2025-26 · £13 per resident; similar councils £3.27 · up 23.7% on 2024-25 - Structural maintenance (resurfacing, bridges) £2.96 ** 12.9% of this · £532k in 2025-26 · £1.89 per resident; similar councils £4.41 · down 1.5% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton](#d-council) - Planning and development ### Planning and development £48.92 of your bill goes to planning and development at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £8.3m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Economic development and business support £38.51 ** 78.7% of this · £6.5m in 2025-26 · £23 per resident; similar councils £11 · down 7.7% on 2024-25 - Building control £3.27 ** 6.7% of this · £554k in 2025-26 · £1.97 per resident; similar councils £0.72 · down 23.9% on 2024-25 - Planning policy £2.95 ** 6.0% of this · £500k in 2025-26 · £1.78 per resident; similar councils £2.57 · down 18.7% on 2024-25 - Environmental initiatives £2.01 ** 4.1% of this · £341k in 2025-26 · £1.21 per resident; similar councils £0.01 · up 118.6% on 2024-25 - Planning applications (development management) £1.82 ** 3.7% of this · £309k in 2025-26 · £1.10 per resident; similar councils £1.33 · down 32.7% on 2024-25 - Community development £0.36 ** 0.7% of this · £61k in 2025-26 · £0.22 per resident; similar councils £8.54 · down 73.8% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase ### Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase £42.09 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 Wolverhampton's adult social care spending of £135.7m 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. - [Learning disability support](#d-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.learning-disability) £14.66 ** 34.8% of this precept · £47.4m in 2025-26 · £168 per resident; similar councils £133 · up 15.2% on 2024-25 - [Physical support](#d-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.physical) £13.48 ** 32.0% of this precept · £43.6m in 2025-26 · £155 per resident; similar councils £142 · up 26.5% on 2024-25 - Care assessment and safeguarding £5.20 ** 12.4% of this precept · £16.8m in 2025-26 · £60 per resident; similar councils £50 · up 3.0% on 2024-25 - [Mental health support](#d-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.mental-health) £3.80 ** 9.0% of this precept · £12.3m in 2025-26 · £44 per resident; similar councils £48 · up 1.7% on 2024-25 - Commissioning, strategy and administration £2.48 ** 5.9% of this precept · £8.0m in 2025-26 · £28 per resident; similar councils £20 · down 14.3% on 2024-25 - [Support with memory and cognition](#d-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.memory) £1.76 ** 4.2% of this precept · £5.7m in 2025-26 · £20 per resident; similar councils £29 · down 16.6% on 2024-25 - Social support (carers, substance misuse, isolation, asylum) £0.52 ** 1.2% of this precept · £1.7m in 2025-26 · £5.98 per resident; similar councils £8.13 · up 7.3% on 2024-25 - Information and early intervention £0.14 ** 0.3% of this precept · £467k in 2025-26 · £1.66 per resident; similar councils £2.97 · down 27.1% on 2024-25 - [Sensory support](#d-adult-social-care~adult-social-care.sensory) £0.05 ** 0.1% of this precept · £173k in 2025-26 · £0.61 per resident; similar councils £1.49 · down 41.4% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-adult-social-care) - Learning disability support ### Learning disability support £14.66 of your bill goes to learning disability support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £47.4m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 18 to 64 £13.59 ** 92.7% of this · £43.9m in 2025-26 · £156 per resident; similar councils £118 · up 22.1% on 2024-25 - Aged 65 and over £1.07 ** 7.3% of this · £3.5m in 2025-26 · £12 per resident; similar councils £17 · down 32.7% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-adult-social-care) - Physical support ### Physical support £13.48 of your bill goes to physical support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £43.6m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 65 and over £8.97 ** 66.6% of this · £29.0m in 2025-26 · £103 per resident; similar councils £111 · up 28.6% on 2024-25 - Aged 18 to 64 £4.51 ** 33.4% of this · £14.6m in 2025-26 · £52 per resident; similar councils £32 · up 22.4% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-adult-social-care) - Mental health support ### Mental health support £3.80 of your bill goes to mental health support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £12.3m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 18 to 64 £2.99 ** 78.7% of this · £9.7m in 2025-26 · £34 per resident; similar councils £28 · up 15.0% on 2024-25 - Aged 65 and over £0.81 ** 21.3% of this · £2.6m in 2025-26 · £9.28 per resident; similar councils £19 · down 28.8% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-adult-social-care) - Support with memory and cognition ### Support with memory and cognition £1.76 of your bill goes to support with memory and cognition at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £5.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 65 and over £1.55 ** 88.2% of this · £5.0m in 2025-26 · £18 per resident; similar councils £27 · down 15.5% on 2024-25 - Aged 18 to 64 £0.21 ** 11.8% of this · £674k in 2025-26 · £2.39 per resident; similar councils £2.75 · down 24.0% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase](#d-adult-social-care) - Sensory support ### Sensory support £0.05 of your bill goes to sensory support at Wolverhampton. Here is how its £173k of net spending on it divides in the return. - Aged 18 to 64 £0.05 ** 90.8% of this · £157k in 2025-26 · £0.56 per resident; similar councils £0.70 · down 25.6% on 2024-25 - Aged 65 and over £0.00 ** 9.2% of this · £16k in 2025-26 · £0.06 per resident; similar councils £1.06 · down 81.0% on 2024-25 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable ### West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable £244.50 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 Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable's adult social care spending of £937.6m 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. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority ### West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority £85.19 of your bill goes to West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority. It is shared out below in proportion to how West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority spent its money in 2025-26, its latest published return. - [Fire and rescue](#d-fire~fire) £83.79 ** 98.4% of this part · £137.8m in 2025-26 · £46 per resident; similar councils £48 · up 5.8% on 2024-25 - Running the council £1.40 ** 1.6% of this part · £2.3m in 2025-26 · £0.76 per resident; similar councils £0.64 · down 14.0% on 2024-25 **Which councils count as similar** Medians are across the 10 fire and rescue authorities closest in population: West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority, Kent Combined Fire and Rescue Authority, Essex Combined Fire and Rescue Authority, Devon and Somerset Combined Fire and Rescue Authority, Lancashire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, South Wales Fire Authority, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority. Per-resident figures use ONS mid-year population estimates. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority](#d-fire) - Fire and rescue ### Fire and rescue £83.79 of your bill goes to fire and rescue at West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority. Here is how its £137.8m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Firefighting and rescue £73.15 ** 87.3% of this · £120.3m in 2025-26 · £40 per resident; similar councils £41 · up 6.1% on 2024-25 - Community fire safety £10.60 ** 12.6% of this · £17.4m in 2025-26 · £5.76 per resident; similar councils £4.91 · up 4.9% on 2024-25 - Fire emergency planning £0.04 ** under 0.1% of this · £65k in 2025-26 · £0.02 per resident; similar councils £0.15 · down 67.3% on 2024-25 ## Parks, street cleaning and roads here What Wolverhampton 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 | £3.9m | £14 | £13 | — | down 0.7% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£14Similar councils, per resident£13Per mile of road—Changedown 0.7% on 2024-25 | | | | | | | Street cleaningDetails | £3.0m | £11 | £14 | £6,517 (similar: £7,568) | down 2.6% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£11Similar councils, per resident£14Per mile of road£6,517 (similar: £7,568)Changedown 2.6% on 2024-25 | | | | | | | Road and bridge maintenanceDetails | £4.1m | £15 | £11 | £8,879 (similar: £5,598) | up 19.7% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£15Similar councils, per resident£11Per mile of road£8,879 (similar: £5,598)Changeup 19.7% on 2024-25 | | | | | | | Environmental, safety and routine maintenanceDetails | £3.6m | £13 | £3.64 | £7,733 (similar: £2,297) | up 23.7% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£13Similar councils, per resident£3.64Per mile of road£7,733 (similar: £2,297)Changeup 23.7% on 2024-25 | | | | | | | Structural maintenance (resurfacing, bridges)Details | £532k | £1.89 | £4.41 | £1,147 (similar: £2,747) | down 1.5% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£1.89Similar councils, per resident£4.41Per mile of road£1,147 (similar: £2,747)Changedown 1.5% on 2024-25 | | | | | | | Winter service (gritting)Details | £571k | £2.03 | £3.47 | £1,231 (similar: £1,312) | up 48.7% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£2.03Similar councils, per resident£3.47Per mile of road£1,231 (similar: £1,312)Changeup 48.7% on 2024-25 | | | | | | | Street lighting (including energy)Details | £2.3m | £8.14 | £9.30 | £4,938 (similar: £4,902) | down 26.1% on 2024-25 | | Per resident£8.14Similar councils, per resident£9.30Per mile of road£4,938 (similar: £4,902)Changedown 26.1% 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 | | --- | --- | --- | | EducationDetails | £732 | £872 | | Median£872 | | | | Adult social careDetails | £482 | £480 | | Median£480 | | | | Children's social careDetails | £349 | £337 | | Median£337 | | | | Public healthDetails | £88 | £93 | | Median£93 | | | | Environment and regulationDetails | £81 | £93 | | Median£93 | | | | Parks, leisure, libraries and cultureDetails | £65 | £49 | | Median£49 | | | | Running the councilDetails | £49 | £60 | | Median£60 | | | | Housing (not council homes)Details | £42 | £39 | | Median£39 | | | | Roads and transportDetails | £40 | £29 | | Median£29 | | | | Planning and developmentDetails | £29 | £28 | | Median£28 | | | | Other servicesDetails | £1.77 | £0.34 | | Median£0.34 | | | - Wolverhampton spent **34.8%** of its gross service spending on its own staff in 2025-26 (median for metropolitan borough councils: 33.6%); 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 Wolverhampton](/council-tax/england/wolverhampton/) and [everything else about Wolverhampton](/your-area/wolverhampton/). ## Common questions What does council tax pay for in Wolverhampton? A Band D bill of £2,538.99 is split between Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton: adult social care precept, this year's increase, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority. In proportion to spending, the largest line is adult social care, £800.44.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 Wolverhampton](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/parking/wolverhampton/) - [Back to Wolverhampton: your area](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/your-area/wolverhampton/) - [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.