Local government reorganisation 2026

The 2024 Labour government announced in December 2024 that, in the parts of England which have a two-tier system of local government, they planned to reorganise existing councils into single-tier ‘unitary authorities’. This policy was not in Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto.

How is local government being reorganised?

The government issued invitations to local authorities in February 2025 to submit proposals for a new pattern of unitary authorities in their areas. Authorities in Surrey were required to submit plans by 6 May 2025. Two new councils, East Surrey and West Surrey, will replace the existing county and eleven district councils, and will hold their first elections in May 2026.

All other areas were required to submit plans in autumn 2025. Authorities in the 21 areas receiving invitations submitted over 70 plans for new patterns of unitary authorities. The government will decide between these proposals during 2026, on the basis of published criteria. An initial population criterion of 500,000 may no longer form a hard lower limit on the size of new authorities.

The Government announced decisions on new patterns of unitary authorities on 25 March 2026 for Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Hampshire (see section 4). Details, and maps, can be found at the Library page Proposed unitary authorities 2026.

Most new unitary authorities are expected to hold their first elections in May 2027, and assume full legal powers on 1 April 2028 (‘vesting day’).

How have local elections been affected?

In 2025 the government postponed elections in a number of authorities that are likely to be abolished as part of the local government reorganisation. Elections in many authorities that were scheduled for May 2026 were also postponed, but subsequently reinstated, in February 2026.

Can local authorities or electorates stop the reorganisation?

The affected councils, and local electorates, have no power to halt reorganisation, for instance by using a petition or a referendum.

Further information

Background information on unitary local government can be found in the Commons Library briefing Unitary local government.