Council tax expected to rise by 4%
March 29, 2008 by admin
Filed under News, News-Banking
Households in England and Wales are to face increasing strain as council tax bills are to go up by 4 per cent in the next financial year, according to the government.
Figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) revealed that the bill for an average household is expected to rise from £1,101 to £1,146.
Those in Band D will see the payment rise from £1,321 to £1,374 because of the increases, which the government says are the smallest there have been for 14 years.
Sir Simon Milton, the Local Government Association chairman, said that the increase would put council budgets under severe strain.
“Councils have been under a real financial squeeze during the annual struggle to keep bills down,” he said.
Sir Milton added: “The stark reality is that low council tax rises have come at a cost and many councils have had to make tough decisions on spending.”
Meanwhile, shadow local government secretary Eric Pickles said that cost of living since Labour has come into power has “gone through the roof”.


