Council tax rises: average bill to increase by £100 or more
Tax hikes planned by 95% of local authorities, along with higher charges for parking and other services
Nearly every household in England is facing council tax rises of £100 or more as councils struggle to pay for adult social care, children’s services, housing and homelessness support.
The stark warning comes from the Local Government Information Unit think tank in its annual State of Local Government Finance report, published today.
The study says that 95% of councils will hike council taxes this year, with 93% also planning to increase fees for services such as parking and waste disposal, The Daily Telegraph reports. Most taxpayers are likely to see council tax rise by up to 3%, in line with inflation, although larger authorities can increase taxes by up to 5.99%, says the BBC.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The biggest pressure on council budgets comes from children’s services, followed by adult social care, and housing and homelessness, say the Telegraph.
This week Northamptonshire became the first town hall in two decades to declare effective bankruptcy, The Guardian says. Nine out of ten local authorities will be millions of pounds over budget by the end of the financial year, according to The Times.
Surrey, the UK’s richest county, has been hit by a £100m cash crisis. Labour councillor Robert Evans blamed the Government for not funding local councils properly. However, the TaxPayers’ Alliance points to poor council management, including last year’s extra £15,000 payment for Surrey’s £270,000-a-year chief executive, says The Times.
More than half of local authorities plan to cut spending on parks, leisure centres, youth centres, libraries, art galleries and museums.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Baltimore bridge disaster: Who is going to pay and how?
Today's Big Question Politicians, legal experts, and the insurance industry are all grappling with the financial fallout of America's worst infrastructure tragedy in years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Stick guitar
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
How the biggest election year in history might play out
The Explainer Votes in world's biggest democracies, as well as its most 'despotic' and 'stressed' countries, face threats of violence and suppression
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Good democracies include their poorest citizens. The UK excludes them'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published