Key facts
- Who sets taxi fares (England and Wales)
- The council, by a published table of fares[1]
- London
- Transport for London sets black cab fares; it does not regulate private hire fares[2]
- Lowest daytime rate per further mile in our table
- £1.86 (Northern Ireland, Rate 1)[11]
- Highest
- £3.00 (Brighton and Hove, tariff 1)[8]
How much is a taxi per mile in the UK?
It depends on the council and the tariff in force. On these daytime tariffs, each mile after the flag fall's short opening distance costs between about £1.86 and £3.00; night, weekend and holiday tariffs cost more, and waiting time is charged on top.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
| Area and tariff | Flag fall | Then | Per mile after that | Table |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, tariff one | £3.20 for the first 187.5 yards | 20p per 125 yards to 1,062.5 yards, then 20p per 172.5 yards | £2.04 (council's figure) | 1 April 2025 |
| Bristol, tariff 1 (Mon-Fri 06.00-21.00) | £3.00 for the first 130.37 yards | 20p per 130.37 yards | About £2.70 (council's figure) | April 2025 |
| Sheffield, tariff 1 (7am-7pm) | £3.50 for the first 100 yards | 20p per 176 yards up to 10 miles, then 20p per 159 yards | £2.00 (about £2.21 after 10 miles) | Current council page |
| Nottingham, 6am-10pm | £2.00 up to 122.2 yards | 20p per 86.2 yards to one mile, then 20p per 160 yards | £2.20 after the first mile | In effect from 13 June 2022 |
| Brighton and Hove, tariff 1 | £3.00 for the first 176 yards or 54 seconds | 30p per 176 yards or 54 seconds | £3.00 | Current council page |
| Hull, tariff 1 | £3.60 for the first 130 yards | 10p per 94 yards | About £1.87 | Current council page |
| Edinburgh, tariff 1 (Mon-Fri 6am-6pm) | £3.60 for the first 430 m | 30p per 141 m to 1,699 m, then 30p per 164 m | About £2.94 after 1,699 m | From 25 July 2026 |
| Northern Ireland, rate 1 (Mon-Fri 06.00-20.00) | £3.20 | About £4.20 for the first mile | £1.86 per additional mile | From 5 December 2023 |
"About" figures are our arithmetic: the unit charge multiplied by the units in a mile (1,760 yards or 1,609 metres). Check the council's current table before quoting a passenger.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Why does the first mile cost more?
Because the flag fall buys only a short opening distance, from 100 yards in Sheffield to 430 metres in Edinburgh, and some tables then charge faster until the first mile is done. In Nottingham £2.00 covers the first 122.2 yards and 20p is added every 86.2 yards to one mile, so a one-mile daytime trip comes to about £5.80, while each later mile adds £2.20.[6][7][10]
How do London taxi fares work?
Transport for London sets the maximum black cab fares and normally reviews them once a year after a public consultation. Tariff 1 runs Monday to Friday 05:00-20:00, other tariffs cover evenings, weekends, nights and holidays, and Tariff 4 applies to any part of a journey over six miles. The minimum fare was £4.20 when TfL consulted in late 2025 on options including a rise to £4.40; check TfL's current tariff before you quote.[2][3]
Who sets taxi fares, and are private hire fares controlled?
Outside London, a council fixes hackney carriage fares with a table of fares under section 65 of the 1976 Act: it publishes the table in a local newspaper and allows at least 14 days for objections. In Northern Ireland the Department for Infrastructure sets maximum fares. Private hire fares are not fixed this way; the operator prices them.[1][11]
Pricing your own private hire work is covered in how to set taxi fares.
Frequently asked questions
Which area in this table has the lowest taxi fare per mile?
Northern Ireland's maximum (£1.86 per additional mile on Rate 1, set in 2023) and Hull (about £1.87 a mile) are the lowest of the areas listed; Brighton and Hove (£3.00) is the highest. Only these areas were compared.
Do UK taxi meters charge for waiting time?
Yes. Birmingham's tariff one charges 20p every 38.7 seconds (£18.60 an hour) when waiting, and Sheffield 20p every 45 seconds (£16 an hour), on top of the distance charge.
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] legislation.gov.uk: Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, section 65 (fixing of fares for hackney carriages) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [2] Transport for London, Finance Committee: Taxi fares and tariffs update (26 February 2025) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [3] Transport for London: Review of taxi (black cab) fares and tariffs 2025 (consultation and March 2026 update) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [4] Birmingham City Council: Hackney carriage table of fares (dated 1 April 2025) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [5] Bristol City Council: April 2025 hackney carriage table of maximum fares (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [6] Sheffield City Council: Hackney carriage fares and charges (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [7] Nottingham City Council: Hackney carriage fares (in effect from 13 June 2022) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [8] Brighton & Hove City Council: Maximum hackney carriage fares (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [9] Hull City Council: Hackney carriage fares (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [10] City of Edinburgh Council: Taxi fare table from 25 July 2026 (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [11] Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland): Maximum taxi fares to increase (10 November 2023) (read 2 Nov 2026)