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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, replaced the existing county and eleven district councils, and held 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 60 plans for new patterns of unitary authorities. The government published decisions on the proposals in March and July 2026 (see section 4). Details, and maps, can be found at the Library page Proposed unitary authorities 2026.

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

Review of decisions, September 2026

On 7 September 2026 the government announced that it was withdrawing the reorganisation decisions it had made for Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight.¹ It will also review the decisions announced in July 2026 for all other areas.

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.

In the light of the review announced in September 2026, elections to existing local authorities scheduled for 2027 are now expected to go ahead, unless the review is sufficiently rapid for new unitary authorities to be established to the original timescale.

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.