Over four million people could see their council tax bills soar as eight councils propose significant increases, some up to 25%
Windsor and Maidenhead: So, it looks like eight councils in the UK are planning to raise council tax way above the usual limits. This could hit over four million people in the pocket.
One area might see a jaw-dropping 25% increase, which would be the biggest jump in England in twenty years! Other councils are looking at hikes between 8% and 15% starting in April.
Normally, councils can only raise taxes by about 5% unless they get the go-ahead from taxpayers through a vote. But some are finding a loophole to get around this.
These councils are hinting at declaring bankruptcy, which lets them ask for bigger increases. The Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner, has to approve these hikes.
According to reports, around 4.4 million people in these eight councils will be facing hundreds of pounds more in their bills.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is set to take the biggest hit, with a rise that could add £451 to residents’ bills.
Birmingham is also considering a 9.99% increase for the second year in a row, which would mean a total of £400 more for Band D taxpayers over two years.
In Bradford, folks will see an extra £170 on their average bill, while North Somerset residents might face an additional £256.
Hampshire is looking at a £230 increase for Band D properties.
Benjamin Elks from the TaxPayers’ Alliance said people are fed up with councils overspending and not managing their budgets properly.
He believes councils should focus on essential services instead of wasting money on unnecessary projects.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing said no decisions have been made yet on these tax increases and that they will only consider higher requests in special cases.
Ultimately, councils are in charge of their own tax rates, and the government wants to keep taxpayers’ interests in mind.
So, here’s a quick rundown of the proposed increases: Windsor and Maidenhead is looking at a 25% rise, Hampshire and North Somerset at 15%, and several others are in the 8-10% range.
