Fly-tipping Statistics: England 2024/25 Data and UK Context

Are fly-tipping incidents increasing?

Councils recorded 1.26 million incidents in 2024/25, up from 1.15 million in 2023/24. Defra reports a 9% annual increase. Household-waste incidents rose by 13% to 777,000 and accounted for 62% of the total.

Roads and pavements accounted for 463,000 highway incidents, or 37% of all incidents. Recorded trends reflect both dumping activity and changes in detection and reporting.

What does fly-tipping clearance cost?

There were 52,000 incidents in the tipper-lorry-load and larger size categories in 2024/25. Councils reported £19.3 million in clearance costs for these categories.

This figure describes clearance of the largest recorded incidents. Costs from smaller incidents, private land and wider economic effects fall outside that measure.

Fly-tipping enforcement

Councils reported 572,000 enforcement actions in 2024/25, including 69,000 fixed penalty notices. There were 1,377 prosecution actions, of which 99.1% were successful.

Courts issued 1,250 fines with a combined value of £673,000 and an average of £539. Several enforcement actions can relate to one incident, and fixed penalty notices cover several related offences. These are counts of enforcement activity rather than a matched prosecution rate for the year's incidents.

What the figures cover

Defra's annual series measures fly-tipping reported by councils in England. Most private-land incidents and large cases handled by the Environment Agency are outside its coverage. Other UK nations have their own agencies and recording arrangements.

Council totals are influenced by population, local conditions and reporting practices, so comparisons between areas need that context.

Checking a waste collector

In England, householders using a private waste collection business should check the Environment Agency's upper-tier waste-carrier register. When taking waste to a private site, check the site's permit or exemption too.

Waste produced by a tradesperson during construction or renovation is business waste, and the tradesperson is responsible for disposing of it correctly.

Business waste responsibilities

Businesses must minimise waste, store it safely, check their carrier and complete the required waste-transfer documentation. These duties apply to business waste; household waste is subject to separate responsibilities.

Frequently asked questions

How many fly-tipping incidents are recorded each year?

Councils in England recorded 1.26 million incidents in 2024/25, a 9% increase. This is an England local-authority count rather than a complete UK total.

What type of waste is most often fly-tipped?

Household waste accounted for 777,000 recorded incidents in England in 2024/25, or 62% of the total.

How much did the largest fly-tipping incidents cost to clear?

Councils reported £19.3 million in clearance costs for tipper-lorry-load and larger incidents in England in 2024/25.