Richard Smith, Suffolk County Council's lead for finance, proposed the authority's 2025-26 budget at Thursday's full council meeting. His proposals included a maximum tax rise of

Labour local authority leader says increase in National Insurance is partly to blame for £8bn funding black hole

The leader of Birmingham City Council has said the authority will not need to raise council tax above a government limit in future years. Taxes in the city will rise by 7.49% from April, after the government intervened to stop a requested 10% hike.

Council tax is set to rise by nearly 10% in Bradford after the government approved a request from the local authority. The Labour-run council had submitted a bid to increase bills by 14.99% in 2025-26 but was only given consent for a 9.9% hike - the highest rise in the country.

Hampshire County Council will increase council tax by an inflation-busting 4.995 per cent for 2025/26. The decision today (Thursday, February 13) means that the council tax for band D for the year beginning April 1,