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Proposed unitary authorities 2026: Maps

Contents

• Introduction
• Interactive map of the proposals
• Downloadable maps

Introduction

This page contains maps of the new unitary authorities proposed by the government in 2026.

On 25 March 2026, the government announced to Parliament its decisions on the structures of new unitary authorities in four areas: Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock; Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton; Norfolk and Suffolk.

On 16 July 2026, the government announced to Parliament its decisions on the structures of new unitary authorities in 14 further areas: Derbyshire; Devon; East Sussex and Brighton; Gloucestershire; Hertfordshire; Kent; Lancashire; Leicestershire; Lincolnshire; Nottinghamshire; Oxfordshire; Staffordshire; Warwickshire; Worcestershire.

On each occasion, the government sent letters announcing its decisions to existing local authorities in the new unitary authority areas. These letters provide full details of which existing local authorities (and parts of authorities) will be located in each of the new unitary authority areas, and the rationales for the government’s decisions.

As of July 2026, the government has not made decisions on future unitary authorities in Cambridgeshire or West Sussex.

A table showing the new unitary authorities, the existing authorities that they will replace, their populations and their area in square kilometres can be found below.

The attached Excel spreadsheet indicates which parish council areas will be moved between unitary authorities.

Interactive map of the proposals

The map below shows the proposed boundaries broken down by county. You can click the buttons in the top right to show existing district boundaries or constituency boundaries. Click or hover on the new boundaries to see population and geographical area data.

This map was updated on 4th August to correct an error where Metheringham ward had incorrectly been omitted from the boundary of Lincoln.

More background information and detail about the Government's reorganisation policy can be found in the Library briefing Local government reorganisation 2026.

Population estimates

The population estimates presented above are for mid-2024. The populations were estimated by matching population-weighted centroids (average population density) from Census Output Areas to the proposed new boundaries.

Downloadable maps

Use the following links to access high-resolution images of the proposed new unitary authority areas, with constituency boundaries overlaid:

• Derbyshire (png, 13MB)
• Devon (png, 15MB)
• East Sussex (png, 12MB)
• Essex (png, 16MB)
• Hampshire (png, 15MB)
• Hertfordshire (png, 12MB)
• Kent (png, 19MB)
• Lancashire (png, 14MB)
• Leicestershire (png, 13MB)
• Lincolnshire (png, 18MB)
• Norfolk (png, 19MB)
• Nottinghamshire (png, 13MB)
• Oxfordshire (png, 16MB)
• Staffordshire (png, 15MB)
• Suffolk (png, 14MB)
• Surrey (png, 16MB)
• Warwickshire (png, 13MB)
• Worcestershire (png, 10MB)