Many Brits are livid after receiving their last Council Tax bills, which has a major change to them; here’s all you need to know
For many, Council Tax payments have been paused for two months. However, numerous local authorities seem to have only added to the burden, worsening the blow for millions of households by increasing their fees this financial year.
If you’re paying Council Tax in the UK with the standard 10 instalments, you don’t pay for February and March, which gives those a little ‘breather’ before entering the new financial year. However, if you choose to pay Council Tax over 12-month instalments, you, unfortunately, won’t get that ‘tax-free’ break.
While the government plans to increase council funding over the next two years, many Brits are expected to face a sharp rise in their bills over the same 12-month period. This little detail, which has previously been swept under the rug, has now left people absolutely exasperated during the ever-increasing cost-of-living crisis.
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While most councils in England can raise their tax rate by no more than 4.99% each year, six regions have now been authorised to exceed this limit to avert financial difficulties for the broader council. However, this will only worsen millions of households’ living costs.
The six councils permitted to surpass the 4.99% threshold are Bradford (9.9%), Birmingham (7.49%), Newham, London (8.99%), Somerset (7.5%), Trafford, Greater Manchester (7.49%), and Windsor and Maidenhead (8.99%).
A woman who noticed this rise in her bill took to TikTok to label her local authority as “robbers,” voicing her dissatisfaction with what she views as “rip-off Britain.” Which many were quick to agree on.
The woman rants in the short video shared to TikTok, “Honestly, I’m raging – and I knew I was going to be raging. Yes, we get two months off a year where we don’t have to pay Council Tax – but it’s spread over 10 months rather than 12. Don’t go fooling yourself. Now we’ve had a 4.8% increase – an increase in what we have to pay, but a decrease in the services we’re going to receive because we live in rip-off Britain.”
The user highlighted that many Brits struggle even to put food on the table but are threatened with prison for unpaid bills. The woman to adds, “I wouldn’t mind paying more if the services were to a decent standard”
Many were quick to support the women in the comments; one user agreed, writing, “My bill went from £120 a month to £150 a month, an increase of £30 per month so unfair,” and questioning, “Why do they keep robbing us?”
Another user even admitted to leaving the UK because of the cost of living, saying, “Straight facts. This is why I moved out of the UK last year. The cost of living was crippling us as a family. It’s such a depressing place to live now. Worst I’ve seen it in 50 years! Awful. We moved to Costa Blanca – it wasn’t easy and took us a few years to do it but worth it in the end.”
Many situations may enable you to apply for a Council Tax Reduction. You can find comprehensive details about eligibility on GOV.UK.
