Loading insight
Loading...
Councils that raised Band D by 4.99% or more this year
English councils that raised Band D by 4.99% or more in 2025-26
113
Out of the 317 councils with figures for both 2024 and 2025. 108 went above the cap, with special permission from government. National average rise: 4.9%.
Ranked by the size of the Band D rise this year. To go above 4.99%, a council needs special permission from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
How we got this: we compare each council’s 2024-25 and 2025-26 Band D rate from GOV.UK. The 4.99% figure is the 2.99% basic cap plus the 2% extra charge for adult social care — the normal limit for councils that run social care.
Most councils are limited to a Band D rise of 4.99% (a 2.99% basic rise plus a 2% extra charge for adult social care). To go higher, they normally have to hold a local vote. A few councils in financial difficulty get special permission from government to go above this limit.
This card counts every council at or above the cap, shows the national average rise for context, and lists the councils that went above it. Going above the cap is one of the clearer signs of financial pressure.
Each year, government sets a cap on how much councils can raise Band D without holding a local vote. For 2025-26 the basic cap is 2.99%, plus a 2% extra charge for adult social care — 4.99% in total for councils that run social care.
Councils in serious financial difficulty can apply to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for an 'exceptional financial support' package. One condition of that support is often a council tax rise above the normal cap.