Behind every call: The teams supporting thousands of Brighton & Hove residents every week
Latest figures show that the council handled over 86,000 calls in just three months, with thousands of residents contacting us for advice, reassurance and support on issues that matter to their daily lives.
From people seeking housing or homelessness help to residents asking about council tax, benefits, waste and recycling, parking or other local services, customer services staff are often the first point of contact when someone needs guidance.
Between October and December 2025, key services across the council answered 86,513 calls. Despite high demand, callers waited an average of just 5 minutes and 28 seconds to speak to an officer, reflecting ongoing work to make services more responsive and accessible.
For many residents, picking up the phone comes at an important or sometimes stressful moment. Council staff support people through complex situations, offering practical help, clear information and a listening ear so residents can move forward with confidence.
The council’s customer promise sets out how services are delivered with residents at the centre, focusing on accessibility, fairness and continuous improvement.
Performance is checked through customer satisfaction survey results, complaints insight, and information about how residents contact the council.
Councillor Jacob Allen, Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Public Realm, said: “Every call is a resident looking for help and I have seen first-hand the care and professionalism our teams bring to those conversations. Whether someone needs quick advice or support with a more complex issue, our advisers are there to make sure residents feel heard and supported.
“It’s essential that residents can contact us in the way that meets their needs. While many people choose to go online we know that isn’t right for everyone and therefore we maintain our telephone and face to face support offer.
“We are implementing plans so we can consistently deliver high quality customer service across all departments. We are always working to improve and learn from customer feedback, so staff give professional, compassionate, informed support to residents every day.
“While on the average wait time is no more than 10 minutes, council tax and housing needs can take longer due to high demand. I thank residents for their patience on the phone lines.”