Millions of pounds of taxpayer money are spent every year tackling vandalism across London, with the capital’s boroughs accounting for the highest levels of reported graffiti in the UK. That is according to a new analysis of Freedom of Information (FOI) data by GTSE.co.uk, a trade supplier retailer, covering 214 local council areas.
The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham recorded the highest number of graffiti reports in the UK in 2025, with 6,569 incidents, equivalent to nearly 3.5 reports per 100 residents. Three other London boroughs — Westminster, Camden, and Brent — completed the top four.
Top 10 UK council areas by reported graffiti volume in 2025
- London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (London): 6,569 reports (3.5 per 100 residents)
- Westminster City Council (London): 5,290 reports (2.5 per 100 residents)
- London Borough of Camden (London): 4,937 reports (2.3 per 100 residents)
- Brent Council (London): 4,166 reports (1.2 per 100 residents)
- Canterbury City Council (South East England): 4,080 reports (2.5 per 100 residents)
- Royal Borough of Greenwich (London): 3,760 reports (1.3 per 100 residents)
- London Borough of Lambeth (London): 3,207 reports (1.0 per 100 residents)
- Southwark Council (London): 3,095 reports (1.0 per 100 residents)
- Edinburgh City Council (Scotland): 2,443 reports (0.5 per 100 residents)
- Newcastle City Council (North East England): 2,359 reports (0.7 per 100 residents)
Regional hotspots outside the capital
While London dominated the rankings, other parts of the UK also recorded high levels of graffiti. Canterbury City Council in Kent ranked 5th nationally, ahead of major cities including Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Bristol, which recorded 2,279 reports. However, these regional hotspots had lower per capita reporting rates than London’s top four councils.
Council cleanup budgets climb
Tackling graffiti is placing growing pressure on local authority budgets. Southwark Council recorded the highest annual spending, allocating approximately £460,000 to graffiti removal in 2025, with expenditure expected to rise to around £496,000 in 2026.
Several other councils are also increasing their cleanup budgets. Camden Council plans to raise spending from £374,650–£392,858, an increase of £18,208, while Westminster City Council has allocated £281,000 for 2026, up £12,000 on the previous year.
Response times vary by council
Most councils meet the recommended timescales for removing reported graffiti. General graffiti is typically expected to be cleared within 28 days, a target achieved by many London councils. Offensive graffiti, including racist, abusive, or obscene messages, is usually removed within 24–48 hours of being reported, with most councils meeting that standard. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands recorded the fastest average response for offensive graffiti at 4 hours, followed by Westminster at 12 hours and the London Borough of Haringey at 17 hours.
Prompt removal is important for residents and businesses, as graffiti can detract from an area’s appearance and, in some cases, cause offence. However, responsibility for removing graffiti does not always fall to local councils.
Mikey Callaghan, Trade Supplies Expert at GTSE.co.uk, said: “Finding fresh graffiti on your home, shopfront, or local park is deeply frustrating. However, many people report it directly to the council when, in reality, local authorities are only responsible for certain types of graffiti in specific locations.”
“How graffiti should be reported depends on where it is located. If it is on public property, you should contact your local council or report it through the relevant government service. You can also use FixMyStreet to report issues such as graffiti, fly tipping, and broken paving slabs.”
“For private property, such as homes and small businesses, you should report graffiti directly to the property owner. However, if it contains offensive, racist, or hateful language, councils are responsible for removing it and should prioritise its removal within a reasonable timeframe. This should be done free of charge, regardless of who owns the property.”
“While councils face significant budget pressures and must rightly prioritise offensive hate speech, allowing general graffiti to remain for up to four weeks places an unfair burden on local communities. Beyond being an eyesore, vandalism left unaddressed for weeks can give the impression that an area is not being monitored, potentially encouraging further anti-social behaviour.”
Removing graffiti yourself
For anyone who needs to remove graffiti themselves, Callaghan recommends the following steps
Act quickly
Aerosol paint cures over time, so the sooner cleaning begins, the easier it is to remove. Ideally, tackle graffiti within 24–48 hours.
Identify the surface
Porous materials such as brick, stone, and concrete may require heavy-duty paint removers, stiff wire brushes, or pressure washing. Non-porous surfaces, including metal, glass, and plastic, can often be cleaned with specialist solvent cleaners, while avoiding harsh abrasives that could scratch the surface.
Protect yourself
Wear heavy-duty work gloves and safety goggles when using chemical paint strippers.
Apply, scrub, and rinse
Multi-purpose graffiti-removal aerosol sprays can be used on a range of surfaces, including brick, plastic, stonework, concrete, and glass, and are suitable for use in confined spaces. Larger areas or heavily dried graffiti may require heavy-duty removers and pressure washers.
For more information about who is responsible for graffiti removal and the best way to tackle it, visit GTSE’s quick guide to graffiti removal.