Local authority printing costs 2021

Key findings:

• Local authorities across the UK spent £41,610,366 on printing costs between April 2020 and February 2021. This is a decline of £31.9 million from 2019-20, or 43 per cent.
  
  
• The council that spent the most was Aberdeenshire, at £1,248,827. The council that spent the least was Chorley, at £1,759.
  
  
• Across 2018-19, 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021, the total spend was £189,778,170.
  
  
• Between 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021, the council that saw the largest decline in printing costs in cash terms was the East Riding of Yorkshire. This fell from £1,942,000 to £830,000.
  
  
• Between 2019-20 and April 2020 to February, the council that saw the largest increase in printing costs in cash terms was Sunderland. This rose from £559,851 to £648,465.
  
  
• In percentage terms, the council that saw the largest decline in printing costs was Chorley, at 89 per cent. The council which saw the largest increase was Copeland, at 83 per cent.
  
  
• Of the 295 councils which responded with adequate data, 276 saw their spending on printing decline between 2019-20 and April 2020 to February 2021. Only 14 saw it rise and five saw it stay the same.

Click here to see the change in printing costs for councils in your area

Regional breakdown (printing costs between April 2020 and February 2021):

• East Midlands:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Nottinghamshire, at £865,519.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was South Northamptonshire, at £6,596.
    
    
• East of England:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Southend-on-Sea, at £496,424.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Great Yarmouth, at £3,115.
    
    
• London:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Hounslow, at £599,775.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Havering, at £47,792.
    
    
• North East:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Sunderland, at £648,465.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was South Tyneside, at £57,191.
    
    
• North West:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Cumbria, at £1,011,791.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Chorley, at £1,759.
    
    
• Northern Ireland:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, at £148,144.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Lisburn and Castlereagh, at £13,471.
    
    
• Scotland:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Aberdeenshire, at £1,248,827.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was North Ayrshire, at £27,072.
    
    
• South East:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Hampshire, at £752,228.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Eastleigh, at £5,855.
    
    
• South West:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, at £474,460.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was West Devon, at £14,594.
    
    
• Wales:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Powys, at £402,991.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Anglesey, at £33,058.
    
    
• West Midlands:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was Sandwell, at £683,628.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Telford and Wrekin, at £4,325.
    
    
• Yorkshire and the Humber:
  • The council with the highest printing costs was East Riding of Yorkshire, at £830,000.
  • The council with the lowest printing costs was Ryedale, at £6,931.

Click here to see the change in printing costs for councils in your area

Methodology/notes to editors:

• Where possible, printing costs for council-managed schools have been excluded. This is particularly relevant for local authorities in Wales and Scotland.
  
  
• The freedom of information request sent to all UK councils was the following: For the financial years 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 to date, please would you tell me:

How much money has the council spent on printing? Costs may include but are not limited to:

• Cost of paper
• Cost of inks / toner
• Cost of printers / photocopiers
• Cost of repair / servicing
  
  

• Aberdeenshire’s total comprised the following (for 2020-21):
  • Payments to external printers (£1,265)
  • Photocopying (£140,160)
  • Printing and stationery (£906,352)
  • Printing and stationery for elections (£199,600)
  • Purchase of paper - printing section (£1,450)
  • “The above data includes all services within the council, except for schools who operate on a devolved budget scheme.”

• A freedom of information request was sent to every local authority in the UK asking for spending on printing costs between April 2020 and February 2021. Some local authorities’ responses will have incorporated slightly more the financial year, whereas as others were only able to provide an estimate or for the first nine months of the financial year.