Find out about changes to our services and Christmas opening times on our Festive information page. To find out when your bin will be collected over the festive period, visit Changes to County Durham bin collections at Christmas.

Due to maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 11.45am on Tuesday 24 December until 8.00am on Thursday 2 January: our online Council Tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Durham was last inspected in June 2024. As part of the inspection process, inspectors received feedback and views from 1,500 children, young people, families and partners. You can read more about the feedback from the inspectors on our Strategies, plans, policies and inspections page.

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and our Local Offer

Welcome to the Local Offer in County Durham. Our Local Offer is designed to help you find the very best support for your child or young person (from birth to 25 years) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It is here to help you find information, advice and guidance about the types of services and support available to you.

Don't forget we also offer support through our Family Hubs including drop-in sessions, peer support groups, and courses and groups to support you and your family. See our Help for families - your virtual Family Hub page for more information.