Council tax rises 2024-25 - how does your bill compare?

The average council tax bill in England will rise by 5.1% or £106 from April, the latest government data shows. But some areas will face much steeper increases.

Residents in Birmingham and Woking will be the worst hit with an average rise of 9.99% and 10% respectively, after seeking special permission from the government to raise rates above the 5% cap for England.

The average bill in Wales, which doesn't have a cap, will go up by 7.7% or £145. Residents in Pembrokeshire will face the biggest increase with an average 12.5% rise on a band D property. 

In Scotland, council tax is set to be frozen for 2024-25. Northern Ireland uses a different system called rates, but rises are also on the way. The average household rate bill there will be £1,180 in the next financial year.   

Here, Which? digs into how council tax is changing across the UK and shares tips on what you can do to reduce your bills.

How much will your council tax bill rise by?

How much you pay depends on where you live and which council tax band your property falls into. 

The map shows the percentage increases for council tax band D across England and Wales, according to government data.

Which? found that 112 councils in England are expected to raise council tax by 5% - the maximum amount allowed without the need to hold a local referendum. 

The cap is unchanged from last year and includes a 2% adult social care precept – an additional charge eligible councils can opt to include to pay for adult social care services in the area. For 2024-25, all of the 153 local authorities that qualify for the precept have raised it either partially or to the maximum. 

Local authorities with particularly stretched finances, however, have been given government permission to go even further and raise rates higher than the current limit. A total of four are doing that, after recently declaring effective bankruptcy by issuing 'Section 114' notices. 

Birmingham and Woking both went bust last year and are hiking council tax by a whopping 9.99% and 10% respectively. Birmingham’s rise, will take the annual council tax bill for a band D property from £1,630 to £1,793 in 2024-25 – a £162 increase.

Not all areas in England are increasing council tax from April, however. Four local authorities - Castle Point, East Cambridgeshire, Harborough, and Harlow - will see no rise to core council tax and the adult social care precept, while Fenland District Council is actually reducing rates by 0.18%.

Dartford and Newcastle-under-Lyme will see the smallest rises, with the average council tax bill for a band D property only going up by a total of 1.99%.

• Find out more: what happens if your council goes 'bankrupt'?

What about the rest of the UK?

In Wales, Pembrokeshire has the largest band D percentage increase of 12.5%, while Torfaen has the smallest rise of 4.95%. 

If you live in Scotland, council tax will be frozen in 2024-25 and will remain unchanged until April 2025. Two councils initially defied the freeze - Argyll and Bute approved a 10% increase, while Inverclyde wanted to raise bills by 8.2% this year and 6% the next. Both local authorities are now reconsidering their plan and are likely to fall in line with the rest of Scotland and keep rates the same from April.

Residents in Northern Ireland are also seeing the amount paid in domestic rates go up in 2024-25. The system works very differently to the rest of the UK, with rates calculated by multiplying the rateable capital value of a property by the 'domestic rate poundage' - which is the sum of the domestic regional rate and domestic district rate. 

The domestic district rate is the element set by the 11 councils in Northern Ireland and all have chosen to increase bills for 2024-25. Residents in Mid and East Antrim will be hit with the biggest increase, with rates rising by 9.78%. While Lisburn and Castlereagh Council has the smallest rise at 3.98%.

• Find out more: paying council tax

Who pays the most and least council tax?

Places seeing the steepest council tax rises aren't necessarily the most expensive areas to live. That's because your final council tax bill includes other additional charges.

So, as well as core council tax and the adult social care precept, there might also be tax set by the other organisations such as the parish council or the police and crime commissioner.  

For example, if we only look at council tax and the adult social care precept, Breckland has the cheapest rates. Residents in this area of Norfolk will only pay £115.46 per year for a band D property, despite bills rising 4.53% from April. But that rises to an eye-watering £2,219.32 with other charges added on top.

Focusing on the overall council tax bill, therefore, reveals people living in Rutland will pay the most in 2024-25. Annual band D bills will hit £2,543.29 from April, up from £2,421.58 in 2023-24, which is a rise of 5.03%. 

Households in Wandsworth, on the other hand, will pay the least overall in the next financial year. 

The London borough has frozen the council tax element at 2023-24 levels and residents will see band D bills tot up to £968.76 a year from April. Those living here will still see their overall bill increase in April, however. In fact, even with the council tax freeze, people will pay 5.15% more than in 2023-24 when an annual bill was £921.31.

3 ways to reduce your bill

Most people will see their council tax bill go up in the new financial year. The rise will put further pressure on households being squeezed by the ongoing cost of living crisis. But there are steps you can take to reduce your council tax bill.

1. Apply for a discount

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a discount of 25%. You can this if you live alone or with others who are 'disregarded' for council tax purposes, such as full-time students. 

2. Reductions on empty properties

Other reductions may be available on empty properties, as well as second homes and holiday homes. These discounts aren't applied automatically, so if you think you fit the bill, you’ll need to write to the council and make your case. 

3. Review your band

Reviewing your council tax band is another option if you think the original valuation of your home might have been wrong, or changes made to the property's use or size since its valuation might alter the band it should sit in.

Just bear in mind that while a move to a lower council tax band would see your bills get cheaper and likely get you a council tax refund for the tax you've overpaid, it's also possible to be reclassified into a higher band, which would increase your bills.

• Find out more: how to get a council tax reduction or refund