Parking permits in Sevenoaks are among the top 10 most expensive in the country.

Research carried out by Churchill Car Insurance ranked Sevenoaks District Council's permits to be the 9th most expensive.

It revealed some annual passes cost as much as as £250.

The survey of 433 UK councils found some do not issue passes, others issue them for free and some charge as much as £750 a year.

The study revealed the average cost of a residential parking permit across the UK is £59.17.

A Sevenoaks District Council spokesman said: "The district has one of the highest levels of car ownership in the country and on street parking is a limited resource which must be managed in the most efficient manner possible to ensure local residents are able to park close to their home.

"Our policy ensures that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged and the only circumstance in which a resident would need to pay £250 is if they already have three other spaces" - Sevenoaks District Council

"In common with other authorities we operate a sliding scale of charges for our parking permits meaning a one car household may purchase a permit from £35.

"This fee has remained at the same level for six years and reflects the cost of operating the scheme on behalf of residents.

"Our policy ensures that no-one is unfairly disadvantaged and the only circumstance in which a resident would need to pay £250 is if they already have three other spaces. In a district of 53,000 homes, we have only received five requests for permits at this rate."

Commenting on the research, Churchill Car Insurance head Steve Barrett said: "Parking controls and permits play a huge part in keeping roads safe and clear, as well as ensuring residents have priority over spaces surrounding their property.

"Our research shows that parking permit costs vary considerably across the UK, so we'd urge motorists to factor this in when looking to purchase a new vehicle, especially if it is an additional vehicle."

Here is a list of the councils with the highest annual parking permit charges, according to Churchill Car Insurance:

1 - Birmingham City Council - £750

1 - Manchester City Council - £750

3 - London Borough of Islington - £434

4 - Mole Valley Council, Surrey - £350

5 - City of Edinburgh Council - £280

6 - Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, West Midlands - £275

7 - London Borough of Hackney £265

8 - London Borough of Lambeth £260

9 - City of Glasgow Council £250

9 - Sevenoaks District Council, Kent £250

9 - Forest Heath District Council, Suffolk £250