Council tax bills to rise again? Almost all local authorities across the UK are set to hike the amount of Council Tax they will demand from households, it has been revealed.
The news is particularly galling as it comes just two months after the Government increased the maximum amount that councils are allowed to hike the hated tax by without having to hold a referendum from 2% to 3%.
According to research by the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), a not-for-profit think tank, Council Tax will rise in 95% of all authorities.
Where is all the money going?
Most councils have expressed concerns about their finances. In short, they say their costs keep rising while funding from central Government keeps falling.
Council tax bands: why they matter
The Council Tax system was established in 1993 when every property was placed in a valuation band. It replaced the old rates system based on the rental value of homes.
In England and Scotland, the bands range from A to H, with A being the cheapest, and are based on valuations made in 1991.
In Wales, the bands range from A-I, with A again being the cheapest and are based on valuations made in April 2003.
So properties in England, Wales and Scotland haven’t been revalued in a pretty long time.
That means you may have moved into a different band without realising it, and as a result, you could be forking out more for your Council Tax than you should be.
