Council tax rise is triple rate of inflation

Council tax is set to rise by 3.5 per cent in April, increasing the average bill by almost £50 a year, the Local Government Association says. The likely increase is set to be the lowest in a decade, although it is the twelfth year in a row of increase. Chair of the LGA said that councils understand that people are suffering and they are working flat out to keep council tax down. However, the LGA argues that councils are suffering from a projected fall in income of £2.5 billion next year and rising demand for their services, including debt advice and housing benefit, and growing mental health problems and homelessness.