By-election watch
A by-election happens when a seat falls vacant between scheduled elections; there's one somewhere in the UK most weeks. Here's every one coming up, and a year's worth of results.
2026 scoreboard: council by-elections
154 of 154 seats declared this year. Net shows seats gained or lost versus what each party was defending.
Reform 38+20Conservative 31+4Lib Dems 31+3Green 18+1Labour 14-12Plaid Cymru 11+3- Independent7-6
SNP 3+3- Other1+1
Coming up
Thursday, 6 August 2026 in 1 days
- HartonSouth Tyneside Council · resignation · 7 candidates confirmedRef defending
- HengoedCaerphilly County Borough Council · incumbent elected to the Senedd · 5 candidates confirmedPC defending
- HeachamBorough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk · resignation · 4 candidates confirmed
- SnettishamBorough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk · resignation · 4 candidates confirmedCon defending
- Hooley, Merstham & NetherneReigate and Banstead Borough Council · death of the incumbent · 5 candidates confirmedGrn defending
Thursday, 13 August 2026 in 8 days
Thursday, 20 August 2026 in 15 days
- St Neots EynesburyHuntingdonshire District Council · resignation · 6 candidates confirmed
- Leen ValleyNottingham City Council · incumbent missed too many meetings · 6 candidates confirmedLab defending
- Harraby SouthCumberland Council · resignation · 5 candidates confirmedLab defending
- Penistone EastBarnsley Metropolitan Borough Council · resignation · 8 candidates confirmed
Thursday, 27 August 2026 in 22 days
- TrinityLondon Borough of Wandsworth · resignation · 5 candidates confirmed
- Billinge & Seneley GreenSt Helens Council · resignation · 6 candidates confirmedRef defending
- SoutheySheffield City Council · resignation · 5 candidates so farRef defending
- Throckley, Walbottle & NewburnNewcastle City Council · resignation · 5 candidates confirmedRef defending
- Guston, Kingsdown & St Margaret's-at-CliffeDover District Council · resignation · 6 candidates confirmedCon defending
Wednesday, 2 September 2026 in 28 days
Thursday, 3 September 2026 in 29 days
- Southside/NewingtonThe City of Edinburgh Council · incumbent elected to the Scottish Parliament · 13 candidates confirmed
- Portobello/CraigmillarThe City of Edinburgh Council · incumbent elected to the Scottish Parliament · 10 candidates confirmed
- Chesterton & LauntonOxfordshire County Council · 3 candidates so far
- Frome WestSomerset Council · 1 candidates so far
- Llantwit FardreRhondda Cynon Taf County Borough CouncilCon defending
Thursday, 10 September 2026 in 36 days
Tuesday, 15 September 2026 in 41 days
Thursday, 17 September 2026 in 43 days
Results, last 12 months
275 seats decided; 133 changed hands.
- GAINRumworthBolton Metropolitan Borough Council · 30 Jul 2026 · Yusuf Davda Ind from Green
- HOLDHedge End SouthEastleigh Borough Council · 30 Jul 2026 · Jim Paine LD
- WINBro'r LlynnoeddIsle of Anglesey County Council · 30 Jul 2026 · Jon Paul Taylor PC
- WINLong SuttonSouth Holland District Council · 30 Jul 2026 · Robbie Woods Ref
- WINGreat Dunmow NorthUttlesford District Council · 30 Jul 2026 · Will Church Con
- WINGreater ManchesterGreater Manchester · 30 Jul 2026 · Bev Craig Lab
- HOLDExmouth BrixingtonEast Devon District Council · 23 Jul 2026 · Lee Michael Christopher John Mason Con
- GAINCuxton, Halling & RiversideMedway Council · 23 Jul 2026 · William Burvill Ref from Conservative
- HOLDLongwell GreenSouth Gloucestershire Council · 23 Jul 2026 · Graham Daniel Hardwell Con
- GAINGrays RiversideThurrock Council · 23 Jul 2026 · Jo Potter Lab from Reform
- GAINGrays TownThurrock Council · 23 Jul 2026 · Amin Hoque Lab from Reform
- GAINDereham ToftwoodBreckland District Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Stuart Richard Green Con from Labour
- HOLDRamsey & BuryCambridgeshire County Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Howard Julian Tobias Ref
- HOLDKidlington WestCherwell District Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Rob Packard LD
- GAINOld CattonNorfolk County Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Antony Daniel Little Con from Reform
- HOLDFletton & WoodstonPeterborough City Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Katherine Sharp Grn
- HOLDWellingtonRushmoor Borough Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Fouzia Tanveer Khan Lab
- HOLDHimley & SwindonSouth Staffordshire Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Sean Massey Con
- HOLDManorStafford Borough Council · 16 Jul 2026 · Aaron Thurstance Lab
- WINNorfolk ConstabularyNorfolk Constabulary · 16 Jul 2026 · Colin Sutton Ref
- GAINRegent's ParkLondon Borough of Camden · 9 Jul 2026 · Nanouche Umeadi Lab from Green
- HOLDSplottCity of Cardiff Council · 9 Jul 2026 · James Caruana Lab
- HOLDArgoed and New BrightonFlintshire County Council · 9 Jul 2026 · Faron Hadfield-Jones LD
- GAINConnah's Quay CentralFlintshire County Council · 9 Jul 2026 · Dave Vernon Ref from Independent
- HOLDHigh FellGateshead Metropolitan Borough Council · 9 Jul 2026 · Lindsay Atkinson Ref
WIN means the winner is known but which party was defending the seat isn't recorded yet, so it isn't counted as a gain or a hold.