List of English districts


This is a list of the districts of England, a type of country subdivision governed by a local authority, that cover all of England. Most English districts are known as non-metropolitan districts and are found in non-metropolitan counties. However, primarily in urban areas, other types of districts are found. Each district is contained within one ceremonial county, except Stockton-on-Tees, which is split for this purpose. Population figures are the mid-year estimates for from the Office for National Statistics.

Nomenclature

There are currently districts in England. The districts are divided into several categories which determine the powers and functions of the local authority.
Each district can additionally hold the honorific statuses of borough, city and royal borough, which does not affect the powers and functions of the local authority.

List of Districts

Former districts

The current pattern of districts was introduced in 1974 throughout England and Wales, replacing an older system of municipal boroughs, urban districts, rural districts and county boroughs.
In England, several changes have taken place, but only within the framework created then.
Former English districts are as follows
DistrictStatusDate abolishedFormer countySuccessor
Alnwicknon-metropolitan district1 April 2009NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Bathnon-metropolitan district, City1 April 1996AvonBath and North East Somerset
Berwick-upon-Tweednon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Beverleynon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideEast Riding of Yorkshire
Blyth Valleynon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Boothferrynon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideEast Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire
Bournemouthunitary authority, borough1 April 2019DorsetBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Bridgnorthnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009ShropshireShropshire
Brightonnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1997East SussexBrighton and Hove
Caradonnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009CornwallCornwall
Carricknon-metropolitan district1 April 2009CornwallCornwall
Castle Morpethnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Chesternon-metropolitan district, City1 April 2009CheshireCheshire West and Chester
Chester-le-Streetnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
Christchurchnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2019DorsetBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Cleethorpesnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideNorth East Lincolnshire
Congletonnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009CheshireCheshire East
Crewe and Nantwichnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009CheshireCheshire East
Derwentsidenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
Durhamnon-metropolitan district, City1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
Easingtonnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
East Dorsetnon-metropolitan district1 April 2019DorsetDorset
East Yorkshirenon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideEast Riding of Yorkshire
Ellesmere Port and Nestonnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009CheshireCheshire West and Chester
Forest Heathnon-metropolitan district1 April 2019SuffolkWest Suffolk
Gillinghamnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1998KentMedway
Glanfordnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideNorth Lincolnshire
Great Grimsbynon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideNorth East Lincolnshire
Herefordnon-metropolitan district, City1 April 1998Hereford and WorcesterHerefordshire
Holdernessnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideEast Riding of Yorkshire
Hovenon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1997East SussexBrighton and Hove
Kennetnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009WiltshireWiltshire
Kerriernon-metropolitan district1 April 2009CornwallCornwall
Kingswoodnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996AvonSouth Gloucestershire
Leominsternon-metropolitan district1 April 1998Hereford and WorcesterHerefordshire
Macclesfieldnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009CheshireCheshire East
Malvern Hillsnon-metropolitan district1 April 1998Hereford and WorcesterHerefordshire and Malvern Hills
Medinanon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1995Isle of WightIsle of Wight
Mid Bedfordshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009BedfordshireCentral Bedfordshire
North Cornwallnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009CornwallCornwall
North Dorsetnon-metropolitan district1 April 2019DorsetDorset
North Shropshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009ShropshireShropshire
North Wiltshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009WiltshireWiltshire
Northavonnon-metropolitan district1 April 1996AvonSouth Gloucestershire
Oswestrynon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009ShropshireShropshire
Penwithnon-metropolitan district1 April 2009CornwallCornwall
Pooleunitary authority, borough1 April 2019DorsetBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Purbecknon-metropolitan district1 April 2019DorsetDorset
Restormelnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009CornwallCornwall
Rochester-upon-Medwaynon-metropolitan district, City1 April 1998KentMedway
Salisburynon-metropolitan district1 April 2009WiltshireWiltshire
Scunthorpenon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1996HumbersideNorth Lincolnshire
Sedgefieldnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
Shrewsbury and Atchamnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009ShropshireShropshire
South Bedfordshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009BedfordshireCentral Bedfordshire
South Herefordshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 1998Hereford and WorcesterHerefordshire
South Shropshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009ShropshireShropshire
South Wightnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 1995Isle of WightIsle of Wight
St Edmundsburynon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2019SuffolkWest Suffolk
Suffolk Coastalnon-metropolitan district1 April 2019SuffolkEast Suffolk
Taunton Deanenon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2019SomersetSomerset West and Taunton
Teesdalenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
Tynedalenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Vale Royalnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2009CheshireCheshire West and Chester
Wansbecknon-metropolitan district1 April 2009NorthumberlandNorthumberland
Wansdykenon-metropolitan district1 April 1996AvonBath and North East Somerset
Waveneynon-metropolitan district1 April 2019SuffolkEast Suffolk
Wear Valleynon-metropolitan district1 April 2009County DurhamCounty Durham
West Dorsetnon-metropolitan district1 April 2019DorsetDorset
West Somersetnon-metropolitan district1 April 2019SomersetSomerset West and Taunton
West Wiltshirenon-metropolitan district1 April 2009WiltshireWiltshire
Weymouth and Portlandnon-metropolitan district, borough1 April 2019DorsetDorset

In most cases, these districts were merged to form unitary authorities, which are indicated in the right.
The exceptions were Malvern Hills and Leominster, which were both split between the new district of Herefordshire and a new district of Malvern Hills.
See List of rural and urban districts of England for a list of the districts as they stood immediately before 1 April 1974.

Renamings

Under section 74 of the Local Government Act 1972, the council of a district, county or London borough may change its name, providing the resolution to do so gains two-thirds of the votes at a special meeting. Until 1 April 1978, the council had to have the permission of the Secretary of State, but since that date they may do so unilaterally. At least one district name change was vetoed: the shadow authority for North Wolds wished to become "Bridlington and Yorkshire Wolds" before 1974 at the same time as other name changes were allowed.
Several English districts have done this, whilst others have been renamed under the 1990s UK local government reform. A few districts have even changed names twice.
Original nameNew nameDateNotes
BarkingBarking and Dagenham1 January 1980
BasingstokeBasingstoke and Deane20 January 1978
BeaconsfieldSouth Bucks1 April 1980
BedfordNorth Bedfordshire15 October 1975
BedfordBedford1 October 1992
BeverleyEast Yorkshire Borough of Beverley12 May 1981
BlackburnBlackburn with Darwen2 May 1997
BosworthHinckley and Bosworth20 November 1973†
BracknellBracknell Forest27 April 1988
CreweCrewe and Nantwich17 January 1974†
Ellesmere PortEllesmere Port and Neston21 June 1976
GrimsbyGreat Grimsby1 January 1979
HammersmithHammersmith and Fulham1 April 1979
Hartley WintneyHart17 January 1974†
HerefordshireCounty of Herefordshire20 June 1997
HuntingdonHuntingdonshire1 October 1984
LangbaurghLangbaurgh-on-Tees1 January 1988
LangbaurghRedcar and Cleveland1 April 1996
MedwayRochester-upon-Medway3 December 1979
Medway TownsMedway1 April 1998
NewarkNewark and Sherwood1 April 1985
NewburyWest Berkshire1 April 1998
North WoldsEast Yorkshire1 February 1981
NuneatonNuneaton and Bedworth1 October 1980
PastonacresNorth Norfolk20 September 1973†
PetersfieldEast Hampshire8 October 1973†
PooleBorough and County of the Town of Poole1 April 1997
RutlandRutland County Council1 April 1997
ShepwayFolkestone and Hythe1 April 2018
ShrewsburyShrewsbury and Atcham12 June 1974
ThamesdownSwindoneffective 1 April 1997
TivertonMid Devon6 February 1978
WallingfordSouth Oxfordshire20 September 1973†
West DerbyshireDerbyshire Dales1 January 1987
West NorfolkKing's Lynn and West Norfolk14 May 1981
WimborneEast Dorset1 January 1988
WoodspringNorth Somerset1 April 1996
WrekinThe Wrekin7 February 1974†
WrekinTelford and Wrekin1 April 1998
YeovilSouth Somerset1 April 1985

† The resolutions to change the name of the district were made by the "shadow" councils elected on 7 June 1973.
Additionally, one English county has been renamed. Shropshire was originally formally known as 'Salop'. Its name was changed effective 1 April 1980.