Map › All councils › Rhondda Cynon Taff

Rhondda Cynon Taff council debt

Unitary authority, Wales. Latest figures: Jun 2026.

Total debt
£271m
£270,717,000
Debt per person
£1,123
241,015 residents
Net debt
£236m
after £35.2m of investments
Change in a year
−0.2%
−£419k since Mar 2025
Debt to budget
0.4×
times net current spending, 2025-26
Local economy
£26,994
GDP per person; debt is 4.2% of the area's £6.51bn GDP
Debt cost
£121
per person: £29.2m of interest and repayment in 2025-26 (£10.7m interest)

Rhondda Cynon Taff has the 144th highest debt per person of 197 single-tier councils in the UK (Jun 2026).

Rhondda Cynon Taff debt over time

£0£93.2m£186m£279m£373mJun 202620102012201420162018202020222024

Outstanding borrowing at each date, Mar 2010 to Jun 2026.

What Rhondda Cynon Taff spent capital money on

Councils borrow to pay for capital spending: buildings, roads, housing, loans to their own companies, commercial property. Capital spending by service in each financial year, and how much of it was paid for by new borrowing, 2009-10 to 2025-26.

2009-10£85.0m · borrowed £15.8m2010-11£84.2m · borrowed £20.7m2011-12£60.8m · borrowed £19.1m2012-13£81.4m · borrowed £21.0m2013-14£67.5m · borrowed £28.8m2014-15£71.5m · borrowed £31.7m2015-16£66.9m · borrowed £16.6m2016-17£83.8m · borrowed £30.9m2017-18£102m · borrowed £35.6m2018-19£121m · borrowed £45.1m2019-20£121m · borrowed £36.5m2020-21£102m · borrowed £24.9m2021-22£106m · borrowed £12.4m2022-23£135m · borrowed £15.6m2023-24£170m · borrowed £26.5m2024-25£152m · borrowed £19.4m2025-26£138m · borrowed £13.8m
Schools and educationRoads and transportPlanning, regeneration and other local servicesHousingEnvironment and wasteCulture, leisure and sportSocial careAgriculture and fisheries
YearCapital spendingBorrowedBiggest items
2025-26£138m£13.8mSchools and education £51.2m, Roads and transport £25.1m, Housing £16.1m
2024-25£152m£19.4mSchools and education £47.1m, Roads and transport £33.8m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £14.5m
2023-24£170m£26.5mSchools and education £67.7m, Roads and transport £55.1m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £13.0m
2022-23£135m£15.6mSchools and education £53.3m, Roads and transport £41.8m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £16.4m
2021-22£106m£12.4mRoads and transport £33.8m, Schools and education £27.4m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £16.0m
2020-21£102m£24.9mRoads and transport £31.1m, Schools and education £21.3m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £18.9m
2019-20£121m£36.5mRoads and transport £28.7m, Schools and education £28.5m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £18.6m
2018-19£121m£45.1mSchools and education £48.8m, Roads and transport £24.4m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £14.2m
2017-18£102m£35.6mSchools and education £53.9m, Roads and transport £19.4m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £12.0m
2016-17£83.8m£30.9mSchools and education £39.9m, Roads and transport £17.3m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £8.4m
2015-16£66.9m£16.6mSchools and education £28.8m, Roads and transport £11.9m, Housing £11.0m
2014-15£71.5m£31.7mSchools and education £29.7m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £14.2m, Culture, leisure and sport £8.8m
2013-14£67.5m£28.8mSchools and education £31.7m, Roads and transport £10.9m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £10.2m
2012-13£81.4m£21.0mSchools and education £26.2m, Roads and transport £19.6m, Planning, regeneration and other local services £10.1m
2011-12£60.8m£19.1mSchools and education £16.6m, Roads and transport £16.3m, Housing £9.4m
2010-11£84.2m£20.7mRoads and transport £34.9m, Schools and education £16.4m, Housing £7.4m
2009-10£85.0m£15.8mRoads and transport £44.1m, Schools and education £13.1m, Housing £10.6m

"Borrowed" is new borrowing and credit used to finance that year's spending; it can exceed the spending when a council borrows to cover earlier costs or, with government permission, day-to-day losses. Source: MHCLG capital outturn (England, from 2018-19); StatsWales capital outturn (Wales). Not yet available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Who Rhondda Cynon Taff borrows from

LenderAmountShare
Public Works Loan Board (PWLB)the government's lending facility for councils, run by the UK Debt Management Office; most council borrowing comes from it£185m68%
Banksloans from UK banks, including LOBO loans (lender option, borrower option)£85.5m32%
Other councilsloans from other local authorities, usually short term£7k0%

Outstanding loans by type of lender as reported by the council to MHCLG, short and long term together, as at Jun 2026. The return groups lenders by sector, not by name.

Rhondda Cynon Taff debt by year

DateDebtInvestmentsNet debtPer personPopulationDebt cost
Jun 2026£271m£35.2m£236m£1,123241,015£29.2m
Mar 2026£273m£18.1m£254m£1,131241,015£29.2m
Dec 2025£266m£69.0m£197m£1,105241,015£27.9m
Sep 2025£268m£96.1m£172m£1,111241,015£27.9m
Jun 2025£272m£17.7m£254m£1,123241,793£27.9m
Mar 2025£273m£30.9m£242m£1,129241,793£27.9m
Dec 2024£274m£193m£80.8m£1,134241,793£26.2m
Sep 2024£276m£199m£77.0m£1,140241,793£26.2m
Jun 2024£282m£251m£31.5m£1,167241,617£26.2m
Mar 2024£283m£71.8m£212m£1,173241,617£26.2m
Dec 2023£287m£191m£96.5m£1,189241,617£26.0m
Sep 2023£289m£244m£44.8m£1,195241,617£26.0m
Jun 2023£292m£164m£129m£1,222239,303£26.0m
Mar 2023£294m£178m£116m£1,228239,303£26.0m
Dec 2022£298m£126m£172m£1,244239,303£25.7m
Sep 2022£299m£149m£150m£1,250239,303£25.7m
Jun 2022£303m£157m£145m£1,275237,545£25.7m
Mar 2022£310m£141m£169m£1,304237,545£25.7m
Dec 2021£310m£37.4m£273m£1,305237,545£24.9m
Sep 2021£310m£17.5m£293m£1,305237,545£24.9m
Jun 2021£314m£41.8m£272m£1,318238,039£24.9m
Mar 2021£333m£33.3m£300m£1,400238,039£24.9m
Dec 2020£337m£11.8m£325m£1,414238,039£23.7m
Sep 2020£320m£33.3m£287m£1,346238,039£23.7m
Jun 2020£355m£80.5m£274m£1,493237,574£23.7m
Mar 2020£373m£43.0m£330m£1,569237,574£23.7m
Mar 2019£331m£34.9m£296m£1,399236,685£21.8m
Mar 2018£271m£17.1m£254m£1,146236,357£20.6m
Mar 2017£232m£17.6m£214m£984235,567£21.9m
Mar 2016£197m£30.7m£166m£838235,233£21.5m
Mar 2015£209m£9.6m£199m£888235,284£25.8m
Mar 2014£197m£5.6m£192m£839235,145£25.3m
Mar 2013£197m£3.5m£194m£839235,271£25.4m
Mar 2012£206m£31.9m£174m£877234,373£25.6m
Mar 2011£211m£32.8m£178m£899234,459£24.2m
Mar 2010£210m£16.7m£193m£894234,743£22.3m

Similar councils

CouncilDebtPer person
Somerset£674m£1,141
Wokingham£213m£1,127
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole£456m£1,123
Rhondda Cynon Taff£271m£1,123
North Northamptonshire£413m£1,089
Cheshire East£460m£1,081
Wiltshire£545m£1,035

Single-tier councils closest in debt per person, Jun 2026.

See Rhondda Cynon Taff on the UK council debt map