Council tax bands define how much you pay to the local authorities each year for local services.
It believed there will be a council tax rise, meaning the amount you pay will increase, for almost all bands in April this year.
The 2018 council tax rise is dependent on which council tax band you live in, and it may be by as much as six per cent of your previous figure, according to reports.
This means if you currently pay council tax at an average of £2,074 a year in a Band E household, this could go up to £2,198 – an increase of £124.
Individual councils will make a decision on how much they plan to increase their council tax billing by.
So will your local council increase your tax? It is believed to be very likely, according to research.
As many as 95 per cent of councils plan to increase council tax for 2018 by up to six per cent, found research conducted by the Local Democracy Think Tank (LGiU).
What is council tax?
Council tax is charged to households by local government authorities in the UK, in order to pay for local services such as rubbish collection, street lighting and schools.
It was introduced in 1993 in England, Scotland and Wales by the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
Your individual council tax bill is calculated based on the estimated value of your property, and the number of people who live there.
You might also be entitled to a council tax reduction, for instance if you are the sole resident in your household which means you get a 25 per cent single persons discount.
Earlier this week, Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert, spoke about council tax bills and explained a little more about who is entitled to a discount.
He said: “This could be the single person’s discount of 25 per cent which applies where there’s only one qualifying adult in the property (eg one adult with children, or with full-time students).
“Those with a serious mental impairment such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and who are eligible for certain benefits may also be disregarded for council tax purposes.
“Sadly as this is little known, it’s worth researching,” he added.
“There can also be council tax discounts for those on pension credit.”
