Labour Faces Furious Backlash Over Skyrocketing Council Tax Bills—Starmer’s Promise to Freeze Tax Now in Tatters
Labour is facing a furious backlash after council tax bills across England shot up once again — with the average Band D household now paying £109 more than last year. That takes the typical annual bill from £2,171 to £2,280, a hike of 5%, and yet another blow to families already squeezed by the cost of living crisis.
What’s got people particularly riled up is that Sir Keir Starmer promised back in 2023 that Labour would freeze council tax if it came to power. Fast forward, and not only has that not happened, but council tax is now a fifth higher than it was just three years ago when the average bill stood at £1,898, reported the Express.
A Conservative spokesman didn’t hold back, calling it “Starmer’s day of shame” and accusing Labour of letting taxes spiral under its watch. The impact varies wildly across the country — Band D bills range from £998 in Wandsworth to a hefty £2,671 in Rutland. People living in Greater London are paying 18% less on average than those in the North East.
It’s not just politicians raising the alarm. Caroline Abrahams from Age UK warned that older people, already struggling with energy and food bills, are now facing yet another cost they can’t afford. “We’re still hearing from thousands of older people struggling to afford the basics,” she said.
Kevin Hollinrake, the Shadow Local Government Secretary, blamed the government’s jobs tax — a rise in employers’ National Insurance — for pushing up council costs and leaving local authorities scrambling to plug funding gaps. He added: “This has been engineered by Labour, who have left town halls to foot the blame when record bills hit the doormat.”
At the launch of the Conservative local elections campaign, Kemi Badenoch promised that Tory councils would continue to deliver better services for less money, saying: “If you vote for something else, you will get something much worse.”
Meanwhile, the TaxPayers’ Alliance and the Adam Smith Institute both piled on criticism, saying councils are dipping into residents’ pockets without fixing underlying issues like productivity or inefficient services. “Local government finances need an urgent and systematic review,” said Maxwell Marlow of the Adam Smith Institute.
And it’s not just about the numbers — geography matters too. Barry Lewis of the County Councils Network pointed out that large towns and cities often pay less, while rural counties have been hit harder by funding cuts and are left relying more heavily on council tax to keep vital services afloat. With another 5% rise landing in April — double the rate of inflation — there’s growing concern that even tougher times are ahead.