# Parking income in Essex CC

url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/parking/essex-cc/
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)

# Parking income in Essex CC



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





In 2025–26 Essex CC took **£7.0m** in parking income and spent £7.9m, a **deficit of £1.0m** against £-1.1m in 2024–25 (+9%), the 289th largest of 290 councils in England. Penalty charges brought in £7.0m. Figures are from the council's own return to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.



Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-revenue-outturn-multi-year-data-set).





## Key figures



- £-0.98mParking deficit

▲
2025–26
- £6.97mParking income

▲
2025–26
- £7.95mSpending on parking

▲
2025–26
- £6.97mPenalty charge income

▲
2025–26
- 289 of 290Rank in England, largest surplus first


2025–26




Source: [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-revenue-outturn-multi-year-data-set).






## How much has Essex CC made from parking each year?




**Essex CC: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million**










**The numbers behind this chart**





| Year | Income | Spending | Surplus |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2017–18Details | £4.27m | £4.44m | £-0.16m |
| Spending£4.44mSurplus£-0.16m | | | |
| 2018–19Details | £4.1m | £4.36m | £-0.25m |
| Spending£4.36mSurplus£-0.25m | | | |
| 2019–20Details | £4.46m | £4.68m | £-0.21m |
| Spending£4.68mSurplus£-0.21m | | | |
| 2020–21Details | £4.73m | £4.74m | £-0m |
| Spending£4.74mSurplus£-0m | | | |
| 2021–22Details | £5.65m | £5.68m | £-0.03m |
| Spending£5.68mSurplus£-0.03m | | | |
| 2022–23Details | £6.04m | £6.3m | £-0.25m |
| Spending£6.3mSurplus£-0.25m | | | |
| 2023–24Details | £6.81m | £7.65m | £-0.84m |
| Spending£7.65mSurplus£-0.84m | | | |
| 2024–25Details | £6.06m | £7.13m | £-1.07m |
| Spending£7.13mSurplus£-1.07m | | | |
| 2025–26Details | £6.97m | £7.95m | £-0.98m |
| Spending£7.95mSurplus£-0.98m | | | |






Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-revenue-outturn-multi-year-data-set).






| Year | On-street income | On-street spending | Car park income | Car park spending | Penalty income |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2017–18Details | £4.27m | £4.44m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £4.02m |
| On-street spending£4.44mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£4.02m | | | | | |
| 2018–19Details | £4.10m | £4.36m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £3.85m |
| On-street spending£4.36mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£3.85m | | | | | |
| 2019–20Details | £4.46m | £4.68m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £4.20m |
| On-street spending£4.68mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£4.20m | | | | | |
| 2020–21Details | £4.73m | £4.74m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £4.73m |
| On-street spending£4.74mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£4.73m | | | | | |
| 2021–22Details | £5.65m | £5.68m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £5.65m |
| On-street spending£5.68mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£5.65m | | | | | |
| 2022–23Details | £6.04m | £6.30m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £6.04m |
| On-street spending£6.30mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£6.04m | | | | | |
| 2023–24Details | £6.81m | £7.65m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £6.35m |
| On-street spending£7.65mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£6.35m | | | | | |
| 2024–25Details | £6.06m | £7.13m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £6.06m |
| On-street spending£7.13mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£6.06m | | | | | |
| 2025–26Details | £6.97m | £7.95m | £0.00m | £0.00m | £6.97m |
| On-street spending£7.95mCar park income£0.00mCar park spending£0.00mPenalty income£6.97m | | | | | |





Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-revenue-outturn-multi-year-data-set).



All figures are cash, in the council's own return. The most recent year is a first release and may be
revised. Essex CC is recorded as: Shire County.





## What can Essex CC spend a surplus on?






**On-street parking charges and all council parking penalty charges (England and Wales)**



Ring-fenced by law a ring-fenced parking account. A surplus may only be spent on parking, public transport, highway and environmental improvements and similar purposes; a deficit is made good from the general fund.



[Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s55, as applied in England by SI 2022/71, regs 25 and 27](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/section/55)

At the end of each financial year any deficit in the account shall be made good out of the general fund or, in Wales, council fund, and (subject to subsection (3) below) any surplus shall be applied for all or any of the purposes specified in subsection (4) below




**Council car park (off-street) tariffs**



Kept by the body that collects it the council's general fund. Section 55 covers on-street parking and enforcement income, not car park fees.
Not verified



[Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s55(1), and DfT statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-enforcement-of-parking-contraventions/guidance-for-local-authorities-on-enforcing-parking-restrictions)

The income from on-street charging and any penalty charge payments received (whether for on-street or off-street enforcement) must only be used in accordance with section 55 (as amended) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.




Legal position as of 22 September 2026. Source:
[legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/). Checked by hand 22 September 2026.






## How does Essex CC compare with other councils?




**Essex CC among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26**



- 282. Breckland

−£0.33m
- 283. South Gloucestershire UA

−£0.49m
- 284. Knowsley

−£0.53m
- 285. Slough UA

−£0.62m
- 286. Staffordshire CC

−£0.70m
- 287. Wealden

−£0.74m
- 288. West Midlands Combined Authority

−£0.76m
- ◆289. Essex CC

−£0.98m
- 290. Nottinghamshire CC

−£1.67m




England average: £4.83m ◆ Essex CC



Ranked largest surplus first; a negative figure is a deficit. [Every council](/parking-fines-and-council-parking-income/) is in the full tables.




**Show as a table**





| Name | Surplus |
| --- | --- |
| 282. Breckland | −£0.33m |
| 283. South Gloucestershire UA | −£0.49m |
| 284. Knowsley | −£0.53m |
| 285. Slough UA | −£0.62m |
| 286. Staffordshire CC | −£0.70m |
| 287. Wealden | −£0.74m |
| 288. West Midlands Combined Authority | −£0.76m |
| 289. Essex CC (Essex CC) | −£0.98m |
| 290. Nottinghamshire CC | −£1.67m |






Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-revenue-outturn-multi-year-data-set).




[Every council's parking surplus](/parking-fines-and-council-parking-income/), penalty charge
levels and the national trend. A deficit means parking cost the council more than it brought in; the law requires the gap to be met from the general fund.





## Sources for this page





| Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: revenue outturn multi-year data set (RO2 parking)](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-revenue-outturn-multi-year-data-set) | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | the 2025–26 financial year | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) |
| [legislation.gov.uk and official guidance, provision by provision](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/) | legislation.gov.uk | 22 September 2026 | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0 (legislation.gov.uk)](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

- [Back to Parking fines and council parking income](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/parking-fines-and-council-parking-income/)
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- [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/)

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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.