RESIDENTS in Redditch have to pay £8.50 per item if they want the council to collect a large piece of furniture from their home – figures analysed by the BBC reveal.

The BBC’s Shared Data Unit has analysed statistics on bulky waste charges across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, sourced from local authority websites between October and November 2018.

Analysis of the figures shows how much councils charge for bulky waste collections, whether they offer a concessionary rate and whether authorities issue a separate charge for white goods.

In Redditch – the council charges £8.50 per item and there are no concessionary rates available.

It is not clear whether there is a maximum number of items that can be collected and the authority does not state whether it issues a separate charge for fridges and freezers.

The price is the same for residents in neighbouring Bromsgrove which also does not offer any concessionary rates.

It is not clear whether there is a separate charge for fridges and freezers but there is no maximum number of items that can be collected.

It is considerably more expensive in nearby Wyre Forest where it costs £22.50 for one to two items to be collected, £45 for three to four items, £60 for five to six items, £80 for seven to eight items and £100 for collection of nine to ten bulky items – and there are no concessionary rates available.

A council spokesman said: “The unit price of £8.50 is based on one small item than can be lifted by one person, like a bike or chair, and increases as larger, heavier or multiple items are added which we assess to give a bespoke quote.

“The need to offer a bulky waste service that is affordable to our residents is priority as it helps reduce fly-tipping which is unsightly for communities and costly to the council.

“Our prices are reviewed annually and will continue to reflect both the need for realistic bulky waste disposal and the need to run a viable service.”