// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Manchester?
Manchester, United Kingdom, scores 83.1% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #13 of 388 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
83.1%
Rank
#13 / 388
Criteria present
63 / 86
Evidence coverage
91.9%
Manchester's smart city score by area
9 present · 3 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
7 present · 5 partial · 0 absent
12 present · 1 partial · 0 absent
9 present · 1 partial · 1 absent
10 present · 2 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
8 present · 0 partial · 0 absent
8 present · 4 partial · 1 absent · 1 not assessed
Where Manchester is strong
- ▸Open Data & Transparency
- ▸Public Transport & Real-Time Information
- ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
- ▸Climate Action & Emissions
- ▸Green Space & Biodiversity
Where the gaps are
- ▸Connectivity & ICT Infrastructure
- ▸Solid Waste & Circular Economy
- ▸Disaster Risk & Resilience
Evidence highlights
Open Data & Transparency · Official open data portal
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), a public body in Manchester, publishes data to data.gov.uk, which is a government-run open data portal.
https://tfgm.com/data-analytics-and-insightDigital Government Services · Unified online services portal
The Manchester City Council website (manchester.gov.uk) serves as a portal listing various municipal services, including parking, education, payments, environmental problems, planning, and licenses, and includes a sign-in/registration option for council tax…
https://www.manchester.gov.uk/Digital Government Services · Online payments for taxes & fees
The Manchester City Council website offers a 'Make a payment' option, and there is a specific online form to sign in or register for a council tax account, indicating that local taxes can be paid online.
https://www.manchester.gov.uk/Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin · Live city data dashboard
Greater Manchester provides interactive maps and data through MappingGM, covering housing, planning, infrastructure, socio-economic, and demographic landscapes. Additionally, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) publishes bus and tram performance reports…
https://mappinggm.org.uk/Funding Manchester can bid for
119 open calls — grants, tenders and innovation competitions Manchester is eligible for, including UK-wide schemes any place can apply to. Every entry links to its source.
- NationalgrantCloses 15 Sept 2026Help The Homeless Grant Scheme
Help the Homeless
up to £5kApply → - NationalcompetitionCloses 16 Sept 2026Accelerating adoption of quantum enabled sensing and PNT
Innovate UK
up to £14.3m24 month projectEnds 30 Nov 2028 - NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Energy Efficiency
Innovate UK, Department for Transport (DfT)
- NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Electric Power
Innovate UK, Department for Transport
- Nationalinnovation-callCloses 16 Sept 2026Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure Two (ZEVI 2): Alternative Fuels
Innovate UK, Department for Transport
- Nationalinnovation-callCloses 16 Sept 2026Quantum computing applications for large scale impact: CR&D
Innovate UK
up to £13m - NationalgrantCloses 16 Sept 2026Healthy Heart Grants 2026
Heart Research UK
- NationalgrantCloses 17 Sept 2026Researcher Challenges Grants 2026
British Council
- NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026
Moray Council
£10k–£50kApply → - NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant
Environment Agency
- NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Second Year Of Moray Coastal Community Fund Opens For Bids
Moray Council
£10k–£50kApply → - NationalgrantCloses 18 Sept 2026Moray Council’s Coastal Community Fund
Moray Council
£10k–£50k
Showing 12 of 119 — see them all in the explorer.
About this assessment
Manchester was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-09-03 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.