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Like all councils across the country, we’re still facing significant financial challenges so central government raised the limit on the amount that council tax could be increased by, to 2.99 per cent.
As well as this, we’re again able to add a further two per cent specifically to fund the increasing costs and demands of adult social care.
This means our share of the council tax bill for an average Band D household will be £1,627.38 in 2023/24 – about £135.62 a month.
A 4.99 per cent increase is more than we’d like to make but is still significantly below the current rate of inflation and below increases seen in other areas of household expenditure, such as food and energy.
A guide to council tax for the 2023/24 financial year is now available on our website.
Support is available if you need help paying. Find out more on our council tax support webpage.
On Wednesday, chancellor Jeremy Hunt outlined his Spring Budget and, among the announcements, he confirmed support with energy bills will continue for another three months.
The Energy Price Guarantee has been extended until the end of June, meaning the average bill will be kept at £2,500 a year instead of rising to £3,000.
However, the amount you actually pay depends on the size of your house and usage.
As well as this, the budget also included new support for the cost of childcare and attempts to get the over-50s back into the workforce
A round-up of key points from the Spring Budget an what it means for your finances can be seen on the BBC website and the Money Saving Expert website.
Energy support for renters
Do you rent your home and pay for energy use as part of your rent?
If so, has your landlord passed on the energy discount to help with the cost of living?
Your landlord should pass on all or some of the support they get from any of the government support schemes, such as the Energy Bills Support Scheme, the Energy Price Guarantee or the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
You may not get the full amount - for example if the fixed cost you pay already protects you from the energy price increase - but they should give you a fair and reasonable amount as soon as they can.
You shouldn’t need to do anything to get this support and they must not make a profit as a result.
Find out more, including what to do if your landlord doesn’t pass the discount onto you or you don’t agree with how much they’ve passed on, on the government website.