How much is your council tax going up? London boroughs with biggest bills revealed

Yahoo

30-01-2025

London's 33 borough councils are starting to reveal how much their council tax bills will rise from April.
Most are expected to agree a near five per cent rise in demands, according to draft budget planning documents.
Councils that have already indicated such plans include Greenwich, Havering, Islington, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey and Tower Hamlets.
Newham is seeking an exceptional 9.99 per cent hike in a bid to prevent itself from going bust.
Haringey, which said it received outer London levels of funding despite inner London levels of need, is to ask the Government for £37m of 'exceptional financial support' to cover day-to-day spending and look after vulnerable residents.
In addition, Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has already said he wants his share of bills to increase by four per cent, primarily to provide more funding for the Metropolitan police.
This will increase the mayor's 'precept' from £471.40 to £490.38 for benchmark band D bills, a rise of £18.98.
Taken together, many households will pay in excess of £2,000 a year or £200 a month, as bills are normally paid over 10 successive months.
A total of 15 London boroughs already charge in excess of £2,000 a year for band D bills: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Camden, Croydon, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Kingston, Lewisham, Redbridge, Richmond, Sutton and Waltham Forest.
Boroughs almost certain to break the £2,000 threshold for average bills for the first time include Greenwich, Hounslow, Merton and Islington.
There are concerns that the dire finances of many town halls will see them target the poorest Londoners for the first time, meaning that carers, lone parents and people with disabilities will receive council tax demands.
Greenwich said it had 'no choice' but to take the 'tough decision' to increase its share of bills by 4.99 per cent. This will add £1.39 a week onto its band D bill - equating to £72.28 a year.
Greenwich leader Anthony Okereke said: 'Our draft budget serves as a stark reminder of the financial realities created by decades of underfunding by the previous government. This damage cannot be done overnight.
'The good news is that we've received a better financial settlement this year, which will help us continue improving services. We've also been successful in finding innovative ways to reduce the costs of temporary accommodation, which have been crippling other councils.'Islington said its likely increase would also amount to £1.39 per week - or £72.28 a year - at band D. When the mayor's precept is added, its benchmark bill will rise to £2,011.
Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman said the borough was 'blazing a trail' by offering free school meals and grants to buy school uniforms to ease the cost-of-living crisis.
Havering said it would increase its share of bills by 4.99 per cent, taking its total band D bill to £2,313.55.
At the same time, it will close three of its 10 libraries - the branches in Harold Wood, South Hornchurch and Gidea Park - to save £288,000 a year.
Hammersmith and Fulham said it set the third lowest council tax in the country but indicated that its bills would rise by 4.99 per cent.
Havering said it had no option because of the increasing cost of adult social care and homelessness.
The council has approved plans to convert offices into temporary accommodation for homeless families.
Haringey said its band D total bill would increase by £100, from £2,107 to £2,207. This is due to its own share of bills increasing by £81.64 on top of the mayor's precept.
Some councils also plan to double their charges for second homes.
Each council's own share of bills is expected to include a 2.99 per cent hike in spending on council services and a two per cent increase in the amount spent on adult social care, which works out in practical terms as a 4.99 per cent rise.