Nine in 10 councils in England to levy maximum council tax increase

Six councils in England have been given permission by ministers to consider rises of up to 10% in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy. Photograph: Simon Turner/Alamy

Most households in England will be charged the maximum increase in council tax for the third consecutive year after local authorities confirmed their plans before the 2025-26 financial year.

Nearly nine in 10 (88%) of 153 upper-tier authorities in England will impose a 4.99% increase in April, the most allowed without triggering a local referendum.