We’ve launched our annual budget survey, and we want to hear from you.
As local taxpayers and businesses, your views help shape how we set our budget.
What we’re doing
The council continues to minimise the tax burden on residents by reshaping service delivery while providing some of the highest quality and most efficient services in London.
Independent benchmarking shows Hillingdon is amongst the most efficient councils in the capital, ensuring the cost of services is the 4th lowest of all London boroughs*.
Hillingdon’s ageing population and complex needs continue to increase demand for health and social care, yet our adult social care remains high quality and low cost. Hillingdon was rated ‘Good’ in July 2024 by the Care Quality Commission, with the borough in the top quarter of London boroughs inspected. The cost of the borough’s adult social care service is the 2nd lowest in London and 20% lower than the national average*.
Hillingdon provides safe, inclusive and responsive support for children and families. The council’s children’s services cost the 3rd lowest in London* and were rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in November 2023, with the borough in the top quarter of London boroughs assessed.
Volatile markets, the high cost of purchasing or renting homes, combined with the borough being host to Heathrow, means that Hillingdon sees high demand from homeless households. However, the cost of homelessness in Hillingdon is the 8th lowest in London*. In July 2025, Hillingdon achieved the second highest rating (C2) by the Regulator for Social Housing with only four London boroughs securing a C1.
Hillingdon is the 2nd largest London borough, and the council manages 235 parks and open spaces to a high standard, regularly investing in improvements.
Hillingdon also continues to provide weekly waste, recycling and food waste collections and a range of recycling options.
Recently, the borough was celebrated as home to the most new business start-ups in London, and in 2024/25, the council helped 108 businesses bid for contracts, gave growth advice to 200, and supported 350 residents with jobs and skills.
The council has a 10-year track record of delivering efficiencies and will keep delivering value for money through its proactive and innovative approach to doing things differently.
This includes reshaping services, creating local provision to reduce costs, greater use of digital tools, specialist operators running services more sustainably, and getting the best value from assets by co-locating services.
*per 100,000 people (Source: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2024 to 2025 individual local authority data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The scale of the challenge
Local authorities nationally are continuing to face significant budget pressures, and Hillingdon is no exception.
Population growth, outdated national funding formulas, higher inflation, failing markets, soaring demand for social care and housing, as well as challenges unique to the borough because of it being host to Heathrow Airport are contributing to this.
However, there is limited good news. Under the government’s new fair funding formula, it is anticipated that there will be a significant increase in the grant we receive for the 3 years from 2026/27 which will help to strengthen our financial position. It will not be all received immediately but phased across the three-year period.
In the meantime, prolonged government underfunding has meant we have had to enter into discussions with the government regarding receiving Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) to support us until the new funding formula is implemented. This isn’t unique to Hillingdon, 6 other London boroughs are already receiving this, with some having requested it several times. Analysis by London Councils also suggests half of London boroughs could require emergency support by 2028.
Council tax
The council has been committed to keeping council tax low for residents. In 2025/26, Hillingdon’s council tax was 16.1% lower than the outer London average based on band D charges.
For 2026/27, the council is considering a core council tax increase of 2.99 % and a levy of 2% to fund residents’ adult social care.
In practice, this equates to £1.40 a week for a band D property, with residents continuing to pay amongst the lowest levels of council tax in outer London.
Read the full 2026/27 budget and the medium-term financial strategy for details on the council’s budget proposals.
Have your say
Your feedback matters. Tell us which services are most important to you.
Please make sure you have your say before the consultation closes on Wednesday 4 February.
If you or anyone you know would like a paper copy of this form, email customerengagement@hillingdon.gov.uk or call 01895 277038.
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