Local government reorganisation

The government has launched an ambitious programme of local government reorganisation (LGR) that will replace county and district councils with a single tier of local government across England by 2028. This is the largest LGR wave since the 1990s and will affect around 41% of England’s population.

As part of our devolution research programme, the Institute for Government is exploring how local areas and central government can best approach this challenge, drawing on insights from previous rounds of reorganisation.

Making a success of local government reorganisation

A major new IfG event series, in partnership with Grant Thornton, which will explore how to make a success of local government reorganisation. The series will consider:

• How should ministers decide the size and shape of new unitary authorities? (26 February 2026)
• What are the implications of the May 2026 elections for LGR? (May 2026)
• How should central government support local authorities going through LGR? (Summer 2026)
• How can local leaders secure cost savings through LGR? (Autumn 2026)
• How can LGR deliver service transformation? (Winter 2026) 

Other work on local government reorganisation

In 2025, we published two reports on this topic. The first considered the ‘dual delivery’ challenge facing areas undergoing LGR while also establishing mayoral devolution, and the second examined how services delivered by district councils can best be integrated into new unitary authorities.

To share your insights on local government reorganisation past and present, please contact our team.