The government confirmed yesterday (3 March 2026) that refreshed guidance on dealing with littering now carries legal force, meaning local authorities are required by law to follow it when taking enforcement action.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “Once again, hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the county will be setting off to their local parks, streets and beaches for the Great British Spring Clean next week – and they deserve our thanks for looking after our community spaces.
“But we must stop litter louts from spoiling them in the first place, which is why we are giving local authorities clear legal powers to take action.
“Councils across the country will now take the same tough approach on litterers and ensure they are being brought to justice.”
Littering fines of up to £500
Under the rules, councils can issue on-the-spot fines of up to £500 for littering offences, including where rubbish is thrown from a vehicle.
Unpaid fixed penalty notices will double after 28 days. If the individual responsible cannot be identified, the registered keeper of the vehicle will be held liable.
Defra said that the move will create a more consistent and tougher national approach, enabling councils to focus resources on the worst offenders while supporting wider efforts to tidy up towns and restore pride in local communities.
According to the department, the new statutory guidance aims to ensure all councils apply the same rules and take a proportionate approach, concentrating on deliberate or repeat offending rather than isolated or accidental incidents.
Councils must now adhere to the guidance when exercising their enforcement powers.
The government explained that this will discourage authorities from entering into contracts with private enforcement companies that treat litter penalties primarily as a revenue-raising tool.
Crackdown on waste crime
The announcement comes ahead of this year’s Great British Spring Clean, the UK’s largest annual litter pick organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
Allison Ogden-Newton, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, commented: “As we gear up for this year’s Great British Spring Clean, we are delighted that the government has recognised the importance of ‘turning off the tap’ of litter that blights communities up and down the country and pollutes our environment.”
Last week, new guidance was published setting out how councils can seize vehicles used to dump waste illegally.
Authorities are expected to work more closely with police to identify, seize and crush vehicles involved in fly-tipping, making use of new technology such as drones and mobile CCTV cameras.
The government has also increased the enforcement budget of the Environment Agency by more than 50% to £15.6 million, bolstering the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, recruiting additional staff and introducing tougher checks and penalties aimed at the most serious waste criminals.
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