With the recent rises in council tax bills, you might be wondering what you have to pay as a renter. Council tax bills tend to increase each year, so although the rises in England and Wales are not a surprise, it is not welcome news amid the cost of living crisis. In England, most local authorities are restricted to increasing council tax by a maximum of 5% this year.
In most of Scotland, council tax is frozen this year. In Wales, most local authorities will increase it between around 4.7% and 9.
8%. Unpopular opinion. #CouncilTax in the UK should factor in the number of adults living in a household, and how many motor vehicles they use from any home.
— Mark 🇬🇧 (@TheBossnME) April 1, 2024 What is council tax? Council tax is collected by your local authority and goes towards paying for important local services, like street cleaning, lighting, rubbish collection, libraries and sports centres. If you’re over 18, you’ll usually pay council tax, whether you own or rent your home. Who pays council tax? Most of the time, it’s the tenant’s responsibility to pay council tax when renting.
While some landlords might include bills in your rent, if you rent a property, the council tax bill is usually in your name. The bill covers your whole household, so if you live with a friend or partner, you’ll get one council tax bill for both of you. If you’re both named on the lease, both of you are liable to pay council tax, but the total amount will stay the same.
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