Will my council tax increase from April? How much bills are rising by across North East

It comes after the Chancellor announced that English local authorities will be able to increase council tax by 5% annually without a referendum. Credit: PA

Councils across the North East are set to confirm their new budgets for the coming tax year with expected changes to council tax from April.

It comes as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, announced in the Autumn Statement last year, that English local authorities will be able to increase council tax by 5% annually without a referendum.

Previously, councils were only allowed to raise council tax by 2.99%.

This included a maximum of 1% os spending on adult social care and 2% on other expenditures.

The coming budget is yet to be confirmed and will be debated by councillors throughout February.

Here are the proposed council tax increases in you local authority:

  • Darlington - 4.99%

  • County Durham - 4.99%

  • Gateshead - The budget is set to be agreed by council members on Thursday 23 February.

  • Hartlepool - 4.9%

  • Middlesbrough - 3.99%.

  • Newcastle - 4%

  • Northumberland - 4.99%

  • North Tyneside - 4.99%

  • Redcar And Cleveland - 3.99%

  • South Tyneside - 4.95%

  • Stockton - 4.9%

  • Sunderland - 2.99%

  • North Yorkshire - 4.99%

The County Councils Network (CCN) has found 84 councils out of 114 who provide social care and have published their 2023/24 budget proposals plan to raise council tax by the maximum permitted which is 4.99%.

It comes after official analysis recently showed nearly all local authorities were expected to hike council tax by 5% annually over the next five years, under Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's plans to raise money for them.

Around 95% of councils are expected to hike payments by the full 5% permitted, according to Treasury analysis in November.

The Office for Budget Responsibility says this will raise £3.3 billion in 2026/27, rising to £4.8 billion in 2027/28.

But councils warned at the time that rate hikes will be "extremely difficult" for struggling households while failing to plug their shortfalls.

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