NEW research reveals UK councils collected a staggering £360 million from parking permits during the last 5 years
UK councils generated £359,939,225 from residential parking permits during the last five years, according to new research from cinch, the UK’s biggest online used car retailer.
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests were submitted to all 218 upper tier local authorities in the UK to reveal the revenue generated from resident-only parking schemes. In total, 128 councils responded with their data.
The 10 highest-earning councils generated more than £238 million alone, making up for almost two thirds of the total revenue.
Wandsworth Borough Council in London topped the list, raising over £38.2 million, followed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea with £31.5 million, and Brighton and Hove City Council, which generated over £28.3 million.
Top 10 councils by total revenue from residential permits (2020–2024 inc.):
Wandsworth Borough Council – £38,243,000
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council – £31,519,135
Brighton and Hove City Council – £28,375,023
Islington Borough Council – £23,175,010
Hackney Borough Council – £23,070,334
Haringey Borough Council – £17,797,946
Lambeth Borough Council – £17,786,315
Waltham Forest Borough Council – £16,744,131
Brent Borough Council – £14,383,918
Tower Hamlets Borough Council – £13,770,108
Wandsworth Borough Council saw its annual revenue peak in 2024, with permit income reaching just short of £8.3 million. This is up by 15% on 2020, when the council collected over £7.1 million.
It’s not just the overall totals that stand out, with most councils seeing dramatic growth when comparing 2020 to 2024.
Top 10 councils by revenue growth from residential permits (2020 vs.2024):
Nottingham City Council – 2009%
Coventry City Council – 543%
Aberdeenshire Council – 500%
Hampshire County Council – 364%
Hillingdon Borough Council – 282%
Thurrock Borough Council – 269%
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead – 215%
Cardiff Council – 214%
Bracknell Forest Borough Council – 186%
Powys County Council – 179%
Unlike the top 10 councils by total revenue, which includes major London boroughs like Wandsworth, and Kensington & Chelsea, the biggest increases across the five-year reporting period were spread further across the UK – including smaller authorities such as Powys County Council.
However, it’s Nottingham City Council that tops the list for the biggest percentage increase, with a huge 2,009% rise in revenue. In 2020, it received £4,280, but that shot up to £90,270 by 2024.
Coventry City Council saw one of the largest increases in residential parking permit revenue over the past five years. In 2020, the council brought in £15,551, but by 2024, this figure had soared to £100,031, a huge 543% increase. This sharp rise means that Coventry is among the councils with the fastest-growing permit revenues.
For many drivers living in urban areas, parking permits are essential, but it’s another cost on the rise.
With some councils increasing permit fees significantly over the past five years, the pressure on household budgets continues to rise.
Residential parking schemes are designed to reduce traffic and solve parking problems for locals, but people often wonder what happens to the money councils collect.
The revenue is often reinvested into things like public transport improvements, road repairs, and green travel initiatives (such as funding for cycle lanes, electric vehicle charging points).
Commenting on the findings, Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, said:
“The total revenue from residential parking permit revenue is eye-opening. With almost £360 million raised by the 128 upper tier local authorities that responded, the real total will be significantly higher.
“It’s interesting to see which councils have raised the most and how rapidly some are increasing charges year-on-year. For anyone budgeting the cost of motoring, permits are increasingly becoming a cost to factor in alongside fuel, insurance and maintenance.”
