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The Independent Debate

Is council tax value-for-money? Join The Independent Debate as annual bills set to rise across England

Most of us have to pay council tax and with another rise imminent, we want to know whether you think it provides value for money

Thursday 29 February 2024 07:00 GMT
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Some 95% of councils analysed are planning to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent
Some 95% of councils analysed are planning to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The average council tax bill across England is more than £2,000 a year - and it’s only set to get more costly come April.

For many, council tax is likely to increase by the maximum amount possible as local authorities across the country hope to boost their finances.

By increasing council tax by 4.99 per cent, the levelling-up department is hoping to raise £2bn from taxpayers despite Rishi Sunak’s suggestion of pre-election giveaways.

Most of us have to pay council tax, whether you are a homeowner or renter. The money is used to fund a range of services, including street lamps, libraries and waste collection.

A portion also goes towards local police and fire and rescue services.

What you pay is determined by what your property would have sold for in 1991 in England and 2003 in Wales, as well as your personal circumstances.

With another rise imminent, we want to know whether you think council tax provides value for money.

Do you think the right services are getting the money where you are? Are there enough concessions on council tax during a cost of living crisis? And would you be happy to pay more to make your area a better place to live?

If you want to share your opinion then add it in the comments and we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.

All you have to do is sign up and register your details - then you can then take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.

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