UK Local Elections 2026

The 2026 UK local elections are scheduled for Thursday 7 May 2026. This date includes elections for English councils, Scottish Parliament (Holyrood), Welsh Senedd, and various mayoral races.

You can find your council in several ways:

• Use the search bar at the top of this page and enter your postcode
• Search for your council name directly
• Browse the interactive maps by region

Once you've found your council, you'll see links to candidate information via Democracy Club integration, which provides details on candidates, polling station locations, and registration information.

In 2026, elections are being held for:

• England: English authorities including London boroughs, metropolitan boroughs, unitary authorities, district councils, and county councils
• Scotland: Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) - all 129 MSPs
• Wales: Senedd - all 96 MSs (new system)
• Mayors: Various directly elected mayors across England

30 councils have confirmed postponements and will not hold elections on 7 May 2026. Check our postponed councils page for the full list.

No Overall Control (NOC) means that no single political party has a majority of seats on the council. This typically happens when:

• The largest party has fewer than half of the total seats plus one
• Multiple parties or independents hold the balance of power

In NOC situations, councils may be governed by coalitions, minority administrations, or through power-sharing arrangements between parties.

Council elections differ from general elections in several key ways:

• Frequency: Local elections happen every 1-4 years depending on the council type, while general elections are typically every 5 years
• Seats: Multiple councillors are elected per area (wards) in local elections, whereas one MP is elected per constituency in general elections
• Issues: Local elections focus on local services (bin collection, planning, roads, libraries), while general elections focus on national policy
• Voting systems: Most councils use First Past the Post, but some use proportional systems

Yes, you can vote by post in local elections. To do so:

• Apply for a postal vote through your local council (typically 11 days before the election)
• You must be registered to vote first
• Your postal vote must arrive at your council by 10pm on polling day

Contact your local council or visit gov.uk/postal-voting for more information and application forms.

The UK has different types of local government structures:

• Unitary authorities: Single-tier councils that provide all local services (rubbish collection, planning, schools, social care). Examples: Birmingham, Bristol, Cornwall
• District councils: Lower-tier councils in two-tier areas, responsible for services like housing, planning, waste collection, and leisure. Examples: many areas in Surrey, Kent
• County councils: Upper-tier councils in two-tier areas, responsible for education, social care, highways, and libraries. Examples: Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk

In 2026, Surrey is reorganising from a two-tier system (county + districts) into two new unitary authorities: East Surrey and West Surrey.

Battleground councils are councils where the election outcome is highly competitive, typically because:

• The margin between the largest and second-largest party is very small (often 3-5 seats or fewer)
• Control could change hands with just a few seat gains or losses
• The council has changed control recently, indicating volatility
• Parties are close to gaining or losing a majority

These councils are often the most interesting to watch as they can swing either way. Check our Key Battleground Councils section to see which councils are most competitive in 2026.