Kingston upon Thames has ranked first for garden waste collection costs in London, according to Garden Waste Collection experts at Divert, who uncovered which UK councils have the highest garden waste collection costs.

The research found that Kingston charges the most for garden waste collections in London, being £104 per year.

The service is collected fortnightly and runs for 12 months from the first collection date. Food waste is not included, and households that want an extra bin have to pay the annual subscription again, as well as separate bin and admin charges.

Barnet is a close second at £103.80, just 20p less than Kingston.

Both Barnet and nearby Richmond upon Thames councils are the only authorities in the top 10 to offer discounted rates, with Barnet charging £31.14 for residents on Council Tax Band 1 and Richmond charging £71 for residents aged 75 and over.



Kingston charges the most for garden waste collections in London, being £104 per year (Credit: Divert)

Lewisham comes next at £100.63, making it one of only three boroughs in the table with a charge above £100. Lewisham differs from Kingston and Barnet by offering weekly collections, although food waste is still excluded.

Looking across the top 10, the price paid does not always match the level of service provided.

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Nearby Merton and Sutton both charge £99 for a garden waste subscription, but Merton charges £36 for an additional bin, while Sutton requires another full subscription. Lambeth charges £94.75 and is the only borough in the top 10 that accepts food waste.

John Verity, garden waste collection expert at Divert, said: "Garden waste collection charges have become a real postcode lottery for residents across the UK, as in some areas, households can have their garden waste collected kerbside, whereas others require a separate subscription to be taken out."

"With more people spending time in their gardens over the summer, it is worth checking your council's terms before signing up to an annual subscription.

"Households with only a small amount of garden waste may find home composting, sharing a bin with a neighbour where their council allows it, or using a local household recycling centre works out better.

"But where the waste is coming from a business activity, property clearance, landlord maintenance or a commercial gardener, it should not be placed into a domestic garden waste collection.

"In those cases, they need to use a licensed waste carrier or a commercial waste service and keep the right paperwork."

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