Liverpool had one of highest rodent infestation rates in the UK last year - full rankings

Liverpool City Council was called out to deal with more than 10,000 rodent infestations last year making the region one of the worst places for rats and mice in the UK, new figures show.

Freedom of information (FOI) requests reveal the local authority tackled 10,373 rodent infestations in 2022. This is down from 12,032 in 2021, but still one of the highest rates in the country.

Of the 181 councils that responded to research requests by Direct Line Home Insurance, Swansea Council dealt with most rodents last year with 16,800 infestations tackled. It was followed by Southwark Council (16,700), Birmingham City Council (12,700) and then Liverpool:

1. City & County of Swansea - 16767 infestations
2. Southwark Council - 16,664
3. Birmingham City Council - 12,736
4. Liverpool City Council - 10,373
5. City of Glasgow - 10,323
6. Sunderland City Council - 5,968
7. Wigan Metropolitan Borough - 4,715
8. North Lanarkshire Council - 4,462
9. London Borough of Lambeth - 3,645
10. Nottingham City Council - 3,573

Ian Andrew, chief executive at the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), said rodents are a "serious public health pest" with rapid breeding cycles, which means infestations can escalate quickly.

Eliminating rodents: Liverpool City Council offers free pest treatments for rats and mice to occupiers of domestic properties. However, there arecharges for other pests and residents in different circumstances.

In September 2022, a £1.5 million network of subterranean super-bins began to be fitted in parts of Liverpool to help combat the city’s refuse and pest problem. The massive receptacles replaced communal bins and targeted 27,000 terraced households in inner-city streets, which do not have the space to use a wheelie bin. The age-old problem of ripped black bin bags in these areas had led to issues with rats, flies and smells.

Rat tsar: BPCA chief Mr Andrew has called for a New York City-style ‘rat tsar’ in the UK, as pest management is vital for maintaining the safety, health and wellbeing of people. New York mayor Eric Adams announced the new role in April as the city tries to tackle its growing rodent problem.

National statistics: In the UK, a total of 225,400 rodent infestations were dealt with in 2022 by the 181 local authorities which provided data, the equivalent of 618 per day. Each local authority spent an average of £101,044 dealing with residential rodent infestations, making the estimated yearly total £36 million.