Hammersmith and Fulham plans to freeze council tax amid rising cost of living

By Hannah Neary, Local Democracy Reporter

The rising cost of living has caused Hammersmith and Fulham council to plan a freeze of council tax rates.

The Labour-led authority says that it will keep council tax rates the same, after an increase of more than £70 last year.

The council tax rate in the borough is currently £1,195.62 for band D properties, which is the average property.

This was an increase of £71.13 on the rate for 2020-21, which was £1,124.49.

Hammersmith and Fulham currently has the third lowest council tax rate of any authority in the country, behind Wandsworth and Westminster.

A report by council officers confirms they are proposing the freeze of council tax rates in light of the rising cost of living.

The report adds: “A tax freeze will provide a balanced budget whilst not increasing the burden on local taxpayers.”

The council plans to invest £7.4 million in services, including more than £5 million on adult social care and public health.

It plans to cut £4.851 million from services including children’s services, social care and environment.

There are 92,148 households in Hammersmith and Fulham, and just over half are liable for full council tax rates while the rest get support or discounts from the council.

The council’s gross budget for 2022/23 is £533.5 million and it needs to fund £160.4 million of this through income from things like council tax and business rates.

General government is expected to give the council £44.45 million from April – an increase of £6.2 million from last year.

English councils are allowed to charge an extra amount of council tax to go towards social care known as the adult social care precept.

Hammersmith and Fulham council is not planning to charge a 1% increase in these fees, as it is allowed to do under UK Government outlines.

The council’s cabinet will discuss the authority’s budget and council tax rates on February 24.