Responding to the survey conducted by the Local Government Information Unit think tank and The Municipal Journal on Council Tax, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said:
“Council Tax has increased by 60% since 1998 and while local politicians complain that their budgets are under strain, they should remember that family budgets are as well. Council Tax is a major burden on taxpayers and a huge contributor to the cost of living. Local authorities should think twice before another round of painful tax hikes and instead step up a war on wasteful spending."
Research from the TaxPayers’ Alliance shows that Council Tax in England has increased by 57 per cent in real terms over the past twenty years, and that there have been 15 increases for every cut.
The research finds:
Click here to read our research paper
“Council Tax has increased by 60% since 1998 and while local politicians complain that their budgets are under strain, they should remember that family budgets are as well. Council Tax is a major burden on taxpayers and a huge contributor to the cost of living. Local authorities should think twice before another round of painful tax hikes and instead step up a war on wasteful spending."
Research from the TaxPayers’ Alliance shows that Council Tax in England has increased by 57 per cent in real terms over the past twenty years, and that there have been 15 increases for every cut.
The research finds:
- Seven years on from the council tax freeze scheme in 2010, the number of local authorities increasing council tax has returned to pre-scheme levels, jumping from 0 in 2011-12 to 124 in 2013-14 to 331 in 2017-18. The average number of increases for the years 1997-98 to 2010-11 was 319.
- Only six councils cut Council Tax, and just 17 froze it, out of a total of 354 local authorities in 2017-2018.
- In 1997-98, the average band D council tax bill in England was £688. Today the figure is £1,591, a real terms increase of 57 per cent.
- Residents under Weymouth & Portland Borough Council pay the highest band D council tax in England - £1,891.
- Residents under Westminster City Council pay the lowest band D council tax in England - £688.
- Per dwelling, residents under Chiltern District Council pay on average the most Council Tax - £1,905.95.
- Per dwelling, residents under Wandsworth Borough Council pay on average the least council tax - £644.50.
Click here to read our research paper
Number of Council Tax increases, freezes and cuts in 2010
| 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | |
| Total increases | 0 | 35 | 124 | 119 | 128 | 306 | 331 |
| Total cuts | 42 | 47 | 48 | 37 | 29 | 8 | 6 |
| Total freezes | 312 | 272 | 182 | 198 | 197 | 40 | 17 |
| Total | 354 | 354 | 354 | 354 | 354 | 354 | 354 |
| % increases | 0.00 | 9.89 | 35.03 | 33.62 | 36.16 | 86.44 | 93.50 |
TPA spokesmen are available for live and pre-recorded broadcast interviews via 07795 084 113 (no texts)
Media contacts
Chloe Westley
Campaign Manager, TaxPayers' Alliance
[email protected]
24-hour media hotline: 07795 084 113 (no texts)
Campaign Manager, TaxPayers' Alliance
[email protected]
24-hour media hotline: 07795 084 113 (no texts)
Notes to editors
1. Founded in 2004 by Matthew Elliott and Andrew Allum, and now with 80,000 supporters, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) fights to reform taxes, reduce spending and protect taxpayers. Find out more about the TaxPayers' Alliance at www.taxpayersalliance.com