Households in some of England’s most deprived areas are set to continue bearing the brunt of high council tax bills, with official figures revealing a significant disparity compared to other regions.
Residents in metropolitan areas, predominantly located across the North and Midlands, face an average annual charge of £2,409 for a Band D property this year.
This contrasts sharply with London boroughs, which encompass both affluent and less prosperous communities, where the average bill stands at £2,068.
Further data indicates that households under unitary councils, also featuring varied levels of wealth, will pay an average of £2,490 for Band D properties. Meanwhile, those served by county-wide councils are set to be charged £2,452.
Across England, the average Band D council tax for 2026/27 is projected to reach £2,392.
This represents a substantial increase of £111, or 4.9 per cent, from the previous year (2025-26), according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.
These figures incorporate all additional levies, including adult social care, parish precepts, and costs from police, fire, and regional authorities where applicable.
It is the fourth year in a row that the England-wide increase has averaged around 5 per cent.
Analysis shows the 19 England-based councils run by the Liberal Democrats, either with majority or minority control, imposed the highest average core council tax increases of 5.17 per cent.
This reflects the Government-approved increases of 8.99 per cent in Shropshire and 7.48 per cent in Windsor & Maidenhead, which have helped pull the mean average above 5%.
The median average increase – or midpoint – for Lib Dem-controlled councils is 4.99 per cent.
The 78 councils controlled by Labour increased bills by a mean average of 4.79 per cent while the 26 Conservative councils pushed up bills by 4.92 per cent.
Of the 384 authorities required to hold a referendum if proposals for council tax exceed a certain threshold, including district councils, 274 used the maximum flexibility available to them.
This represents a decrease of 21 on last year.
Shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly said council tax rises were “cooked up in Whitehall”.
He added: “Keir Starmer promised to ease the cost of living and freeze council tax, yet families now face back-to-back hikes and a total council tax take rising by £2.6 million – another broken promise.
“Conservatives will always back hard-working people, delivering better services while keeping council tax down, while Labour, Lib Dems and Reform councils are pushing through the highest rises.”
Steve Houghton, chairman of the Special Interest Group of Metropolitan Authorities, described the funding agreement agreed earlier this year as “transformative” but added that metropolitan councils serving some of the most deprived communities in the country continue to face some of the most difficult financial circumstances in the country.
He added: “Rising demand for services, particularly adult and children’s social care, alongside sustained increases in energy costs, inflation and other day‑to‑day running costs, means councils are under intense pressure simply to maintain vital services.
“Councils do not take the decision to raise council tax lightly but for many it is not a choice but a necessity in order to continue providing the services people rely on every day and to protect our most vulnerable residents.”
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said many councils are “acutely aware” of the financial pressures on households as they faced having to increase bills to protect services.
They added: “While council tax is an important funding stream, it cannot solve the long-term pressures facing councils, raising different amounts in different parts of the country – unrelated to need.
“Significant new funding, alongside long-term reform of the local government finance system, remains desperately needed to protect the financial sustainability of councils and ensure they can deliver the services communities expect.”
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have been approached for comment.
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