Nine out of ten homes will see council tax rise by up to £70 a year as funding is slashed

Council tax bills will rise by an inflation-busting average of £70-a-year from April despite authorities saying social care and waste collection services will be slashed by £19.1bn

  • The average bill for a band D property will go up to £1,889 a £70 increase
  • Comes as many local resources are being cut across communities in the UK 
  • Level of taxation in the north of England is disproportionate to southern parts 

Council tax is set to rise by £70 a year for nine in ten local authorities as some councils prepare to face a £19.1 billion funding gap by 2025.

116 local authorities out of the 133 that have responsibility for social care will raise the tax by four percent, which is more than double the current 1.8 per cent rate of inflation.

According to a survey by the County Councils Network (CCN) the average bill for a band D property will go up to £1,889, a £70 increase.

As many services across communities in the UK such as Sure Start children’s centres and waste collection are left under-resourced, the rise in tax may seem like a kick in the teeth for many residents who have seen the facilities available to them continuously deplete.

Residents living in band D properties will cross into the £2,000 threshold in areas such as Nottingham, Hartlepool and East Sussex.

The average bill for a band D property is set to go up by up to £70 (pictured above a row of houses in the UK)

Councils claim they are facing a £19.1 billion funding gap and may be forced to cut services such as meals on wheels and various education centres.

The Times found that the level of taxation is disproportionate in the north of England compared to some areas of London.

Some home owners in the north pay up to 30 per cent more than their southern counterparts.

CCN chairman Councillor David Williams said that no council leader wants to raise taxes, but that the new figures show that local authorities ‘simply do not have a choice’.

Research found that the level of taxation in the north of England is higher than in some southern parts

Research found that the level of taxation in the north of England is higher than in some southern parts 

‘Unfortunately this pattern is set to continue, but even yearly council tax rises for residents over the next five years still leaves councils with a huge shortfall, meaning local politicians will need to continue to make really tough decisions to meet rising demand.’

Last year a number of councils warned they were close to collapse, while Northamptonshire County Council was forced to declare bankruptcy.

The areas under the most pressure from continuous cuts include leisure centres, libraries and parks.

The council tax system works by the band the property is placed in.

Band A is the cheapest and band H is the most expensive.

Figures from The Times showed that 80 per cent of most expensive band D properties are in the north and the Midlands, with 84 per cent of the cheapest being in London and the southeast.

No northern towns fall into the cheapest 25 per cent of areas.

A three bedroom property is likely to be in band D and Mr Williams added that county residents are shouldering an unfair burden compared to those who live in cities.

‘The government’s fair funding review could help correct these funding imbalances and we are committed to working with ministers to ensure that the review is implemented next year’.

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