Local Government Association, Local government workforce data, Overview and summary, published June 2026. The local government workforce system is vast, varied and often complex, and covered by a wide variety of data collections. This collection of infographics brings the key sources together to shed light on the sector. Key facts: 1.14 million council staff headcount across England, compared with 896 thousand full time equivalent, a drop of 16 per cent or 172 thousand in the last 10 years. 73 per cent of council staff are female. Source: Office for National Statistics, Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey, Q4 of 2025. £35.8 billion total gross council staff pay bill for England, excluding teachers, police and fire staff. Source: LGA modelling estimates, 2024/25. Average full-time salary of £37,000. Source: LGA modelling estimates, 2026. 86 per cent of councils set staff pay through national collective bargaining, Source: LGA pay spine review, 2024. Average gender pay gap of 2 per cent. Source: Government Equalities Office, 2025/26. 6.9 million members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Source: Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2024/25. 1.2 million adult social care workers FTE, 1 million working in the independent sector, and 16 per cent adult social care vacancy rate. Source: Skills for Care, The state of the adult social care workforce in England, 2024/25. 468 thousand council-funded teachers FTE. Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. 31 thousand firefighters FTE. Source: Home Office fire workforce statistics, 2024. 68 thousand police staff FTE excluding officers. Source: LGA Police staff survey, 2023. Copyright Local Government Association 2019 to 2026. May be copied without alteration for non-commercial distribution.
