Council continues to maintain one of the lowest Council Tax rates in the country

PRESS RELEASE

ISSUED 25 February 2025

Council continues to maintain one of the lowest Council Tax rates in the country

The Borough Council is to increase its council tax charge for 2025/26 by £5 following a decision of the full council at its budget-setting meeting on 20 February 2025.

This means the average Band D council tax (including the Special Expense Area) for Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council will increase to a charge of £159.87 for the 2025/26 financial year, the lowest in Leicestershire and anticipated to be the 15th lowest in England, and certainly within the lowest quartile.

This figure will be supplemented by the charges levied by Leicestershire County Council £1,681.50, the Police and Crime Commissioner £300.23 and the Fire Authority £86.65.

Overall, this increase in council tax and the other measures set out in the council's Medium Term Financial Strategy enable the council to plan with more certainty and to operate a balanced budget.

Residents are reminded they can pay their bill annually, half-yearly or monthly. In a full year, the monthly instalments will normally be paid from April to January, however residents can also opt to pay their council tax over 12 instalments if they prefer.

Councillor Keith Lynch, Executive Member for Finance, said "At this time when the country continues to suffer from a cost-of-living crisis and many individuals and families are suffering financial hardship, the council does not want to make another increase in the council tax. However further reductions in government support grants have put yet more pressure on the council's finances forcing us to raise the borough council tax by £5 a year (9.6p a week) to try to maintain our present level of public services. However, I am pleased to be able to say that, even after the increase, the Hinckley and Bosworth council tax will still be the lowest in Leicestershire and among the lowest in the country.

Council Leader, Cllr Stuart Bray said: "given the government's plan for local government reorganisation across the country over the next few years, that reorganising will lead to harmonisation of council bills across the county which will inevitably lead to Hinckley and Bosworth residents paying more."