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Parking income in Watford
Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.
In 2025–26 Watford took £2.9m in parking income and spent £2.8m, a surplus of £0.1m against £-0.0m in 2024–25 (+576%), the 242nd largest of 290 councils in England. Penalty charges brought in £1.3m. 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.
Key figures
- £0.08mParking surplus up on a year earlier: +£0.10m (+576.5%) vs 2024–25
- £2.90mParking income up on a year earlier: +£0.32m (+12.4%) vs 2024–25
- £2.82mSpending on parking up on a year earlier: +£0.22m (+8.6%) vs 2024–25
- £1.26mPenalty charge income up on a year earlier: +£0.14m (+12.3%) vs 2024–25
- 242 of 290Rank in England, largest surplus first
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
How much has Watford made from parking each year?
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Income | Spending | Surplus |
|---|---|---|---|
2017–18Details for 2017–18 | £2.78m | £2.37m | £0.41m |
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2018–19Details for 2018–19 | £2.98m | £1.63m | £1.35m |
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2019–20Details for 2019–20 | £3m | £1.74m | £1.26m |
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2020–21Details for 2020–21 | £1.35m | £1.47m | £-0.12m |
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2021–22Details for 2021–22 | £2.77m | £1.88m | £0.89m |
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2022–23Details for 2022–23 | £3.2m | £2.26m | £0.94m |
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2023–24Details for 2023–24 | £2.45m | £2.82m | £-0.37m |
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2024–25Details for 2024–25 | £2.58m | £2.6m | £-0.02m |
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2025–26Details for 2025–26 | £2.9m | £2.82m | £0.08m |
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Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
| Year | On-street income | On-street spending | Car park income | Car park spending | Penalty income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017–18Details for 2017–18 | £1.56m | £2.28m | £1.22m | £0.09m | £0.62m |
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2018–19Details for 2018–19 | £1.82m | £1.55m | £1.16m | £0.08m | £0.92m |
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2019–20Details for 2019–20 | £1.81m | £1.65m | £1.18m | £0.09m | £0.93m |
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2020–21Details for 2020–21 | £0.74m | £1.40m | £0.60m | £0.07m | £0.31m |
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2021–22Details for 2021–22 | £1.73m | £1.82m | £1.04m | £0.06m | £0.99m |
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2022–23Details for 2022–23 | £1.95m | £2.09m | £1.25m | £0.17m | £1.01m |
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2023–24Details for 2023–24 | £2.08m | £2.75m | £0.37m | £0.07m | £1.08m |
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2024–25Details for 2024–25 | £2.34m | £2.52m | £0.24m | £0.08m | £1.13m |
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2025–26Details for 2025–26 | £2.60m | £2.76m | £0.30m | £0.06m | £1.26m |
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Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
All figures are cash, in the council's own return. The most recent year is a first release and may be revised. Watford is recorded as: Shire District.
What can Watford 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
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
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. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
How does Watford compare with other councils?
Every council's parking surplus, penalty charge levels and the national trend.
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) | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | the 2025–26 financial year | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
| legislation.gov.uk and official guidance, provision by provision | legislation.gov.uk | 22 September 2026 | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 (legislation.gov.uk) |
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.