Welsh Ministers have signed off new landfill tax rates for disposals in Wales from 1 April 2026: £130.75 per tonne at the standard rate, £8.65 at the lower rate and £196.15 for unauthorised disposals. The regulations were made on 5 December, laid on 9 December and come into force at the start of the next financial year. For Northern councils and contractors tipping at Welsh sites, that’s a firm number to build into 2026/27 budgets.

The regulations still need Senedd approval, scheduled for Tuesday 20 January 2026. Announcing the move, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language Mark Drakeford said the rates were set “guided by the Welsh Government’s tax principles” and aimed at reducing the volume going to landfill in Wales.

Until 31 March 2026, the current Welsh rates stay in place: £126.15 (standard), £6.30 (lower) and £189.25 (unauthorised). The 2026 change adds £4.60 per tonne to standard-rate waste and £2.35 to the lower rate. As a rule of thumb, a 20,000‑tonne residual stream sent to landfill would face roughly £92,000 extra tax next year before gate fees.

Why this matters north of the border is simple: cross‑border contracts are common along the A55/A483 corridor and across Cheshire and Merseyside. Hauliers and brokers who route loads to Welsh sites will price this rise straight into tenders, and council FDs will want to check how indexation clauses handle the 2026 uplift.

The unauthorised disposals rate remains a stiff deterrent at 150% of the standard rate. Welsh Government guidance frames it as a tool to discourage illegal dumping, an issue that continues to hit communities across the North West and North Wales. Recent reporting has highlighted the costs and complexity of clearing illegal sites, including cases in Wigan and Kent where landfill tax liabilities fall due during clean‑ups.

For cross‑border context, HMRC has confirmed that from 1 April 2026 the England and Northern Ireland landfill tax rates will also be £130.75 (standard) and £8.65 (lower). That means no tax differential across the Welsh–English border next year, reducing the incentive to switch disposal routes solely on tax.

Process‑wise, this Welsh measure is being taken by affirmative procedure. A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared and is available via Welsh Government. If approved in January, the rates will apply to taxable disposals made on or after 1 April 2026.

What to do now: procurement and finance teams in the North should lock in the 2026 rates when modelling gate fees, refresh cross‑border transport assumptions, and rerun recycling and energy‑from‑waste business cases. Keep an eye on the Senedd vote on 20 January and then move to update contracts before year‑end so suppliers can schedule any revisions cleanly.