diff --git a/db/seeds.rb b/db/seeds.rb
index f57bb85d7..bf43d47b1 100644
--- a/db/seeds.rb
+++ b/db/seeds.rb
@@ -309,6 +309,12 @@ unless Rails.env.test?
     pp "Seeded 3 dummy schemes"
   end
 
+  if LocalAuthority.count.zero?
+    la_path = "config/local_authorities_data/initial_local_authorities.csv"
+    service = Imports::LocalAuthoritiesService.new(path: la_path)
+    service.call
+  end
+
   if (Rails.env.development? || Rails.env.review?) && LocalAuthorityLink.count.zero?
     links_data_path = "config/local_authorities_data/local_authority_links_2023.csv"
     service = Imports::LocalAuthorityLinksService.new(path: links_data_path)
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 72083e6a9..9677a128c 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
 
   config.before do
     RequestHelper.stub_http_requests
+  end
+
+  config.before(:suite) do
     Rails.application.load_seed
   end