Fly-tipping in London

This data analysis produced by the London Assembly Research Unit, provides an overview of fly-tipping in London.

The information presented in the report is based on published data from a range of source, including Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs' Fly-tipping Statistics for England and Local authority collected waste management annual results. 

The analysis was undertaken in support of planned work by the London Assembly Environment Committee. 

Since 2018-19, the total number of incidents reported by local authorities in London has increased by 48 per cent. This is higher than the rate for England, which increased by 31 per cent over the same period.

In 2024-25, local authorities in London dealt with a total of 481,088 fly-tipping incidents, an increase of 8.2 per cent from the 444,519 incidents reported in 2023-24.

Fly-tipping incidents reported by local authorities in London, 2018-19 to 2024-25

Local authorities are legally responsible for investigating and clearing fly-tipping on public land in their areas.

Camden had the highest number of incidents per 1,000 people at 166.9, followed by Croydon at 130.1 incidents per 1,000 people. Kingston upon Thames had the lowest rate at 13.8 incidents per 1,000 people. 

Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 people, by local authority in London, 2024-25

In 2024-25, the total number of fly-tipping enforcement actions in London reached 230,948. This is an increase of 12.9 per cent compared to the previous year and up by 63.2 per cent compared to 2018-19.

Total number of fly-tipping enforcement actions in London, 2018-19 to 2024-25

Local authorities use a range of enforcement actions to respond to fly-tipping incidents, including investigations, warning letters, fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and statutory notices. Multiple enforcement actions can be recorded for a single incident; for example, an incident may be investigated and subsequently result in an FPN.

In 2024-25, investigations were the most common enforcement action taken against fly-tipping in London, accounting for 64 per cent of all actions (147,235 investigations in total). FPNs accounted for 22 per cent of all actions (49,915 FPNs). Almost 16,000 warning letters were issued in 2024-25, accounting for 7 per cent of total enforcement actions. 

Types of fly-tipping enforcement actions in London, 2024-25

Polling conducted in April 2025 found that 46 per cent of Londoners had noticed instances of fly-tipping in their local area. This is the lowest proportion of any English region and below the England average of 51 per cent. 

Proportion of people who have noticed fly-tipping in their local area, by region, April 2025

 

There are four statutory joint waste authorities in London, alongside a number of independent waste authorities. These are East London Waste Authority, North London Waste Authority, West London Waste Authority and Western Riverside Waste Authority.

The remaining London boroughs, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston upon Thames, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and Tower Hamlets act as independent waste authorities in their own right. However, Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton collaborate via the South London Waste Partnership.

Map of Waste Authorities in London