England's Simpler Recycling rules came into force on 31 March 2026. The aim is that every home collects the same kinds of materials, wherever you live. Six months on, here's what the rules mean for households, what's changed since, and what to expect next.
The four types of waste
Since 31 March 2026, councils in England must by default collect these separately from households (Defra):
- food and garden waste
- paper and card
- all other dry recycling: glass, metal and plastic, including cartons
- general waste
Paper and card can be collected with the other dry recycling in certain circumstances, so not every home will get a separate container for it.
Weekly food waste
The biggest change for many homes is food waste. Government guidance says it must be collected weekly and free of charge, and that households should get two containers: a small one for the kitchen and a larger one for outside. If a council collects food and garden waste together, that collection must also be weekly (GOV.UK guidance).
Were councils ready?
There's no official count yet of which councils have started. The clearest picture comes from the BBC. In February, a BBC investigation found 79 councils, about one in four, said they wouldn't have weekly food waste collections in place for every home by the 31 March deadline. Councils pointed to demand for specialist vehicles and to funding.
When the rules came in, Defra told the BBC that more than two thirds of councils were ready.
Some councils start later by design
A further 31 councils have permission to start food waste collections later, so they aren't counted as missing the deadline, the BBC reported. These permissions are mostly tied to existing waste contracts that would be too costly to change, and in some cases they run for more than a decade. Each council's later start date is set out in legislation.
Counting both groups, the BBC found more than a third of councils weren't yet collecting food waste from every home.
Plastic film moves to 2030
Plastic film and flexible packaging, such as crisp packets, bread bags and bags for life, were due to join kerbside recycling by 31 March 2027. On 16 July 2026, the government confirmed this will move to 1 April 2030, letsrecycle reported.
The law hasn't been updated yet, and GOV.UK's household guidance still shows the 2027 date at the time of writing. Some councils already collect film, so check what yours accepts.
Your bin day is still local
Simpler Recycling sets what gets collected, not when. Collection days, rounds, bin colours and how often each bin goes out are still decided by your council.
So the same bin colour can mean different things a few miles apart. A green bin might be recycling in one area and general waste in the next.
Expect plenty of local change
Over the next few years, many councils will be:
- adding new bins or caddies, or changing what goes in existing ones
- introducing weekly food waste collections, sometimes in stages
- reworking rounds and collection days around new services
- adding plastic film as the 2030 date approaches
Your council's website is always the definitive source for your address. If you look after more than one home, it's worth checking each.
Keeping track
The materials are becoming more alike across England. Which bin goes out, and when, will keep changing street by street for a while yet. We're building WhatBins to keep on top of changes like these and let you know the second they happen, so the answer to "which bin is it?" stays one glance away. We'll update this article as things move.