A MAP has revealed all the councils planning monthly bin collections despite hiking taxes by £109 – is your area on the list?
New data from the Taxpayers’ Alliance has revealed that 42 town halls want to cut back on waste services in a desperate bid to save cash.
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More than eight million people could experience some kind of change to their bin collection schedule if all proposals are waved through, with almost five million of these seeing a reduction.
In addition, over 800,000 more could have their weekly recycling service cut to fortnightly or monthly.
And in Bristol, Carmarthershire and East Ayrshire councillors are weighing up changing residual waste pick-ups to once a month.
Thousands of people have signed a petition against the move being mooted by the Bristol local authority.
Collecting bins every four weeks would reportedly save the council £2.3 million, while every three weeks would mean a £1.3 million saving.
Meanwhile, North Ayrshire, Dundee and Angus debate is ongoing about shifting recycling to once a month, according to the report.
The latest data said five million people across the country could see reductions in services.
And thirteen councils plan to extend fortnightly residual waste collections to three-weekly.
East Hertfordshire council is among those thinking about reducing general waste collections from fortnightly to three-weekly, while slashing bin sizes from 240 to 180 litres.
Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which uncovered the data, said: “Residents will be left wondering what to do when the bin lorries don’t show up and the rubbish piles high.
“A shocking number of councils are considering cutting collections, which would leave people facing ever-growing mountains of waste.
“Town halls need to stop making a mess of basic services and focus on delivering what taxpayers pay for.”
Under the previous Tory government, ministers said residual waste must be collected at least fortnightly due to concerns over smells and vermin if it was less frequent.
However, guidance from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs issued in November appears to remove that requirement, simply saying that authorities should decide collection frequency “in a way that meets local needs and provides value for money for the taxpayer”.
It comes after The Sun reported that from 2026 councils will be instructed to only hand out four containers, either bags or bins, to households and workplaces.
This will include a bin for non-recyclable waste, a bin for food waste mixed with garden waste, a bin or bag for paper and cards, and a bin or bag for other recyclable waste.
The major bin overhaul addresses the confusion caused by the Environment Act 2021, which classed glass, metals, plastic, paper and card, and food waste as recyclable materials.
As a result, councils distributed separate bins for each material alongside bins for non-recyclable waste.
Ministers believe that simplifying the system will improve recycling rates.
Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Residents will be left wondering what to do when the bin lorries don’t show up and the rubbish piles high.
“A shocking number of councils are considering cutting collections, which would leave people facing ever-growing mountains of waste.
“Town halls need to stop making a mess of basic services and focus on delivering what taxpayers pay for.”
A Government spokesman said: “Councils deliver vital services for local residents, which is why the Government has confirmed £69billion in funding in England, a 6.8 per cent cash terms increase in Core Spending Power, as well as committing to work together towards a fairer long term funding model.
“The Government has been clear councils should provide reasonable waste collection services to residents.”
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