The London councils charging up to £101 a year for garden bin collection

As spring approaches, those Londoners lucky enough to have access to outside space might be planning to get out and do some gardening in the sunshine. However, Londoners may not realise that some London councils are slapping charges of over £100 per year on residents for garden waste collections, while others provide the service free of charge to all residents with a garden.

Gardens are a scarce luxury in some London boroughs, but they are possible to get, even if shared amongst neighbours. However, before you hurry to relocate somewhere with your own private patch of green, pause and consider - there are hidden costs if you wish to dodge frequent trips to the tip.

From the necessary tools, to flowers and lawn mowers, maintaining a garden involves labour and expenses. And for many Londoners, disposing of their garden waste isn't a free service. So, which boroughs impose charges, and what will it cost you to arrange a garden waste collection?

Boroughs with free collections

MyLondon has ranked all of London's boroughs by cost so you can compare prices in your borough and any you're considering moving to. At the time of writing (March 7, 2025), there are just 6 out of London's 32 boroughs where you can indulge your gardening passion without incurring any additional waste costs:

• Greenwich
• Tower Hamlets - but the council won't collect from blocks of flats
• Wandsworth
• Redbridge
• Waltham Forest
• Hillingdon - but the council has just opened up a public consultation on introducing a £70 charge for 2025/26

Interestingly, the City of Westminster doesn't seem to provide any garden waste collection service - neither free nor paid. So, if you're a resident here, it's best to take your waste to a local recycling point.

Boroughs charging for collections

For boroughs charging for collections, the price listed is usually per year, per bin/bag. Garden waste bags differ from council to council, so check how many bags are included in your subscription. If not stated, extra bins cost the same as the first one.

• Newham - £40 per year or £5 for a one-off collection
• Barking and Dagenham - £50 per year

• Brent - £69 a year

• Harrow - £69 per year, or £34.50 for those receiving Council Tax Support

• Bromley - £70 for 12 months

• Islington - £75 per year

• Camden - £75 for 12 months or £60 for 9 months, with discounts for those on certain benefits

• Bexley - £75 for a year of collections or £70 for Direct Debit customers - you can add up to four extra bins for £55 each
• Hounslow £75 per year, or £37.50 if you get a council tax reduction

• Kensington and Chelsea - £75.90 a year, or £55.90 for those receiving benefits

• Lambeth - £80.90 for 12 months

• Croydon - £83 per year

• Haringey - £84 for a large bin or £63 for a smaller bin or sacks
• Southwark - £84 per year
• Hackney - £85 for 12 months

• Sutton - £86.54 per year

• Havering - £87 per year
• Merton - £89.78 per year
• Hammersmith and Fulham - £90 per year

• Lewisham - £93.50 per year (as of August 2024)

• Ealing - £98.20 for a bin for the year, or £49.25 for a roll of compostable sacks
• Richmond upon Thames - £90 per year, plus a £38 purchase fee for the bin, or 10 garden sacks for £22.70 for occasional usage
• Enfield - £100 per year
• Barnet -£100 per year

• Kingston upon Thames - £101 for 12 months, plus £18 per bin

Ealing, Richmond, Enfield and Kingston are the most expensive areas for serious gardeners - but remember, you can avoid these costs in all boroughs by simply taking your garden waste to a local recycling centre. Just ensure to check your centre's booking policy and opening hours before turning up.

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