Extended producer responsibility for packaging: local authority payments
From Thursday 28 November 2024, Local Authority Chief Executives in England, Scotland and Wales will receive an indicative estimate of their year 1 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging payment (the Provisional Notice of Assessment). Local Authority Chief Executives in Northern Ireland will receive their Provisional Notices of Assessment in due course.
From 2025, businesses supplying or importing packaging into the UK must pay fees under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. The funds will cover local authorities’ (LAs) costs for managing household packaging waste, including collection, recycling, and disposal.
Local Authority Payments (LAPs): LAs must sign up for the EPR digital service to receive payments. Defra and the Scheme Administrator will guide LAs from November 2024.
Payment Timeline:
First Year (2025-2026): Payments are based on existing data (e.g., WasteDataFlow and ONS data) and sampled data from LAs.
Second Year (2026-2027): Payments will incorporate data submitted directly by LAs.
Payment Schedule:
Initial payments will begin in late 2025, with three instalments covering 2025-2026.
From 2026, payments will be made quarterly.
Data Requirements:
LAs must continue submitting waste data through existing platforms.
Additional data may be required to refine payment calculations, with costs covered by EPR.
Next Steps for LAs:
November 2024: Defra will email chief executives with cost assessments and payment estimates.
April 2025: Revised assessments may follow based on feedback.
April 2025–2026: Grant determination letters will detail payment amounts and schedules.
April 2026 Onwards: LAs will receive quarterly payments.
By submitting accurate waste data, LAs can help improve the precision of payment calculations. Further guidance will be provided as the scheme progresses.
For more information from the UK Government please see here.