The 1986 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday 8 May 1986.

The national projected share of the vote was Labour 37%, Conservative 34%, Liberal-SDP Alliance 26%.

Two parliamentary by-elections were also held on the same day in the West Derbyshire and Ryedale constituencies.

All 36 metropolitan borough councils had one third of their seats up for election.

However, it was short-lived, being abolished four years later by the Education Reform Act 1988.