Where council tax is rising and falling next year

Most of Britain will enjoy a council tax freeze from April after taking up a Government grant. But some councils are still increasing charges, while others are decreasing theirs.

It’s nearly April so that means it’s council tax time. All local councils and authorities across the nation have now set their charges for the tax year 2012/13.

All councils in Scotland have once again agreed to freeze council tax. This is the fifth year that council tax has been frozen.

And 85% of local councils in England have taken up the offer of a Government grant to freeze rates over the next 12 months.

You can see the full list of those who have agreed to a freeze in England here

On average, the council tax on a Band D-rated home in England has increased by 0.3% in cash terms for the next tax year. However, looking more closely, only London residents will see uniform reductions or freezes. Of the other regions, average council tax is increasing most in the north east and east of England, by 0.9% and 0.7% respectively.

English councils that have cut

Some local councils have gone further and announced a cut in council tax for next year, again in cash terms at least. However, only the 3.8% decrease by Hammersmith & Fulham Council is currently an above-inflation cut.

Here are the English councils that have cut their charges:

Local authority	Band D 2012/13*	% change 2012/13	Total average council tax for Band D properties 2012/13	% change 2012/13
Hammersmith & Fulham	£781	-3.8%	£1,088	-3%
South Oxfordshire	£121	-2.5%	£1,057	0%
Brentwood	£171	-2.1%	£1,468	0.1%
Windsor and Maidenhead	£975	-1.5%	£1,203	-1.2%
Chorley	£178	-1.0%	£1,515	0.1%
Stratford-on-Avon	£128	-1.0%	£1,516	0.4%
Greater London Authority	£307	-1.0%	£307	-1%
Three Rivers	£154	-0.7%	£1,458	0%
Central Bedfordshire	£1,317	-0.6%	£1,647	0.3%
Tendring	£148	-0.5%	£1,467	0.3%
South Lakeland	£176	-0.4%	£1,566	0.6%
Eastleigh	£134	-0.3%	£1,434	0%
City of London	£805	-0.3%	£936	-0.3%
Daventry	£134	-0.3%	£1,408	0.1%
South Holland	£164	-0.3%	£1,438	0.5%
North Somerset	£1,148	-0.3%	£1,425	0.2%
St Albans	£168	-0.3%	£1,472	0%
Cheshire West and Chester	£1,251	-0.3%	£1,490	0.3%
Rushcliffe	£131	-0.2%	£1,604	0.4%
Hinckley and Bosworth	£112	-0.2%	£1,442	0.3%
King's Lynn and West Norfolk	£123	-0.1%	£1,497	0.4%
Melton	£178	-0.1%	£1,492	0.3%
Broadland	£114	-0.1%	£1,514	0.5%

Source: Department for Communities and Local Government

But a closer look at the average total Band D council tax bills for these areas (the two columns on the right) reveals most are rising slightly, not staying on hold or decreasing as many councils have trumpeted. However, they would probably argue they have little control over other factors such as county council charges and the cost of emergency services, etc.

With all charges added in, the areas where average Band D council tax is decreasing the most are actually Hammersmith & Fulham (-3%) and Windsor & Maidenhead (-1.2%).

English councils that are increasing council tax

And here are the English councils that are putting council tax up:

Local authority	Band D 2012/13	% change 2012/13	Total average council tax for Band D properties 2012/13	% change 2012/13
Babergh	£144	3.5%	£1,504	0.9%
Barrow-in-Furness	£209	3.5%	£1,576	0.9%
Darlington	£1,191	3.5%	£1,437	3.1%
Dover	£164	3.5%	£1,469	0.5%
East Northamptonshire	£124	3.5%	£1,418	0.5%
Gravesham	£171	3.5%	£1,432	0.4%
Huntingdonshire	£129	3.5%	£1,519	3%
Leicester	£1,227	3.5%	£1,455	3.2%
Preston	£269	3.5%	£1,594	0.9%
Redcar & Cleveland	£1,337	3.5%	£1,610	3.5%
Stockton-on-Tees	£1,264	3.5%	£1,535	3.5%
Stoke-on-Trent	£1,183	3.5%	£1,429	2.9%
Gedling	£150	3.4%	£1,590	0.9%
Lichfield	£146	3.4%	£1,459	0.4%
Luton	£1,183	3.4%	£1,418	3.4%
Nottingham	£1,378	3.4%	£1,614	3.3%
Tunbridge Wells	£150	3.3%	£1,441	0.5%
Richmondshire	£195	3%	£1,547	0.5%
Allerdale	£148	2.9%	£1,557	1.2%
East Cambridgeshire	£139	2.9%	£1,504	2.8%
Peterborough	£1,128	2.9%	£1,369	2.9%
Spelthorne	£172	2.9%	£1,525	2.9%
Tonbridge & Malling	£177	2.9%	£1,471	0.3%
York	£1,122	2.9%	£1,398	2.3%
Chelmsford	£167	2.5%	£1,490	0.6%
Corby	£180	2.5%	£1,406	0.3%
East Hampshire	£135	2.5%	£1,439	0.5%
Epsom & Ewell	£167	2.5%	£1,520	2.9%
South Hams	£138	2.5%	£1,530	0.7%
South Ribble	£208	2.5%	£1,537	0.6%
Telford & Wrekin	£1,126	2.5%	£1,451	2.3%
West Devon	£197	2.5%	£1,601	1.1%
St Helens	£1,173	2%	£1,396	2.2%

Source: Department for Communities and Local Government

Again, the total increase, with other costs added in (the right two columns), is in many cases smaller than the headline increase in actual council tax set by the councils themselves.

With all charges added in, the councils reducing their council tax by the most are actually Hammersmith & Fulham (3%) and Windsor & Maidenhead (-1.2%).

And, with all charges added in, the areas where average Band D council tax is increasing the most are actually all in the north east - Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees, where bills are all increasing by 3.5%

Council tax in Wales

In Wales, the average increase in council tax at unitary authority level is 2.25%, with every authority increasing council tax rates. Here are the five biggest increases and the cost of the council tax on a Band D property in each:

Local authority	Band D 2012/13	% change 2012/13
Isle of Anglesey	£1,139	4.1%
Conwy	£1,130	3.8%
Gwynedd	£1,277	3.3%
Ceredigion	£1,169	3.2%
Flintshire	£1,183	2.9%

Source: StatsWales

Rates in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland uses the different system of rates. The Northern Ireland Assembly has announced that regional rates, which make up half a bill, will rise by 2.2%, with district rates, the other half, increasing by 2.4%.

More on tax

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Six easy ways to pay less tax

How the taxman could be misleading you