Essex County Council: spending, reserves and debt
Essex County Council runs county-wide services such as schools, social care and roads for about 1,576,125 people in the East of England, alongside 12 district councils.
Key figures
What the figures show
Essex County Council spent £2.41 billion on services in 2025-26, MHCLG reports. The largest item was education at £990.1 million, followed by adult social care at £740.4 million.
In cash terms the total was 10.1% higher than in 2024-25, and 58% higher than the £1.52 billion of 2017-18.
At 31 March 2026 the authority held £654.8 million in unallocated and earmarked reserves (£68.1 million unallocated, £586.7 million earmarked for set purposes), excluding schools and public health reserves. Over the year to 31 March 2026 reserves rose by £5.0 million. It is the highest year-end figure since the series began in 2018.
Outstanding borrowing was £471.0 million at 31 March 2026, from the MHCLG borrowing and investment table, against investments of £593.1 million. At 31 March 2010 it was £315.2 million. The latest quarter, to 30 June 2026, shows £467.7 million.
That is £299 for each resident, dividing the borrowing figure by the ONS mid-2025 population estimate (1,576,125), the 3rd lowest of the 21 county councils in England with money pages here.
For 2026-27, this authority's Band D precept is £1,641.96, +3.9% on 2025-26 and 3.8 times the £432.00 of 1993-94. On the statutory proportions that means £1,094.64 in Band A and £3,283.92 in Band H.
Essex County Council spending by service, 2025-26
| Service | Net spending, 2025-26 | Share of services that cost money | Per resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | £990.1 million | 41.1% | £628.21 |
| Adult social care | £740.4 million | 30.7% | £469.76 |
| Children's social care | £300.3 million | 12.5% | £190.55 |
| Highways and transport | £114.5 million | 4.8% | £72.63 |
| Environment and regulation (including waste) | £92.9 million | 3.9% | £58.96 |
| Public health | £82.8 million | 3.4% | £52.54 |
| Central services | £32.6 million | 1.4% | £20.66 |
| Culture and leisure | £31.3 million | 1.3% | £19.88 |
| Planning and development | £20.5 million | 0.8% | £12.98 |
| Housing (not council housing) | £2.4 million | 0.1% | £1.55 |
| Total | £2.41 billion | £1,527.70 |
History
Essex County Council: net spending by year
| Year | Net spending |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 | £1.52 billion |
| 2018-19 | £1.51 billion |
| 2019-20 | £1.53 billion |
| 2020-21 | £1.62 billion |
| 2021-22 | £1.72 billion |
| 2022-23 | £1.81 billion |
| 2023-24 | £1.98 billion |
| 2024-25 | £2.19 billion |
| 2025-26 | £2.41 billion |
Essex County Council: reserves at 31 March
| Date | Reserves |
|---|---|
| 31 March 2018 | £294.9 million |
| 31 March 2019 | £309.8 million |
| 31 March 2020 | £362.4 million |
| 31 March 2021 | £513.5 million |
| 31 March 2022 | £562.1 million |
| 31 March 2023 | £595.6 million |
| 31 March 2024 | £630.1 million |
| 31 March 2025 | £649.8 million |
| 31 March 2026 | £654.8 million |
Essex County Council: borrowing and investments
| Date | Borrowing | Investments |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2010 | £315.2 million | £103.7 million |
| 31 March 2011 | £363.2 million | £79.5 million |
| 31 March 2012 | £362.8 million | £150.8 million |
| 31 March 2013 | £359.9 million | £254.4 million |
| 31 March 2014 | £352.5 million | £310.3 million |
| 31 March 2015 | £355.3 million | £273.0 million |
| 31 March 2016 | £352.5 million | £218.3 million |
| 31 March 2017 | £511.4 million | £313.1 million |
| 31 March 2018 | £507.2 million | £261.1 million |
| 31 March 2019 | £513.1 million | £269.8 million |
| 31 March 2020 | £616.7 million | £465.2 million |
| 31 March 2021 | £601.5 million | £587.7 million |
| 31 March 2022 | £596.9 million | £575.8 million |
| 31 March 2023 | £593.8 million | £633.1 million |
| 31 March 2024 | £588.2 million | £696.9 million |
| 31 March 2025 | £573.0 million | £695.4 million |
| 31 March 2026 | £471.0 million | £593.1 million |
Essex County Council: Band D by year
| Year | Band D |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | £432.00 |
| 1994-95 | £448.88 |
| 1995-96 | £432.00 |
| 1996-97 | £460.00 |
| 1997-98 | £486.00 |
| 1998-99 | £558.36 |
| 1999-00 | £598.50 |
| 2000-01 | £648.00 |
| 2001-02 | £699.48 |
| 2002-03 | £767.88 |
| 2003-04 | £896.40 |
| 2004-05 | £891.54 |
| 2005-06 | £917.73 |
| 2006-07 | £960.39 |
| 2007-08 | £1,003.95 |
| 2008-09 | £1,046.61 |
| 2009-10 | £1,066.50 |
| 2010-11 | £1,086.75 |
| 2011-12 | £1,086.75 |
| 2012-13 | £1,086.75 |
| 2013-14 | £1,086.75 |
| 2014-15 | £1,086.75 |
| 2015-16 | £1,086.75 |
| 2016-17 | £1,130.13 |
| 2017-18 | £1,163.70 |
| 2018-19 | £1,221.75 |
| 2019-20 | £1,270.44 |
| 2020-21 | £1,321.11 |
| 2021-22 | £1,340.91 |
| 2022-23 | £1,401.12 |
| 2023-24 | £1,450.17 |
| 2024-25 | £1,522.53 |
| 2025-26 | £1,579.59 |
| 2026-27 | £1,641.96 |
Essex County Council figures as CSV · What each figure measures
Essex County Council council tax bands, 2026-27
Worked out from Band D (£1,641.96) at the proportions in section 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992; this authority's share only.
| Band | Annual amount |
|---|---|
| Band A | £1,094.64 |
| Band B | £1,277.08 |
| Band C | £1,459.52 |
| Band D | £1,641.96 |
| Band E | £2,006.84 |
| Band F | £2,371.72 |
| Band G | £2,736.60 |
| Band H | £3,283.92 |
Councils above and below
- Councils in its area: Basildon · Braintree · Brentwood · Castle Point · Chelmsford · Colchester · Epping Forest · Harlow · Maldon · Rochford · Tendring · Uttlesford
Where Essex County Council sits in the ladder of power
The bodies above Essex County Council and the council areas it serves. How the ten levels work.
Level 4: County councils, combined authorities and metro mayors
- Essex County Council this page
Level 6: National government
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government the UK government department responsible in England
- UK government and Parliament
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
MHCLG revenue outturn · MHCLG borrowing and investment table · MHCLG Band D table · ONS population, mid-2025. Read 15 October 2026; file fingerprints (SHA-256) are listed on the council money page.
More on Essex County Council
Figures checked 15 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.