Brighton Council Approves Tax Hike
Councillors in Brighton and Hove have voted to increase the local council tax by 4.99 per cent. The decision was made during a recent council meeting and will directly affect the financial obligations of residents in the English coastal city.
The 4.99% increase is the maximum legally permitted without a local referendum and is composed of a 2.99% rise for general services and a 2% levy specifically for adult social care. For the average Band D property, this will mean an annual bill of £2,579.44, an increase of just over £10 per month. Council Leader Bella Sankey stated the hike was necessary to place the council on a "sustainable financial footing." The authority faced an initial £25 million budget gap for the upcoming year and has some of the lowest reserves of any unitary authority in the country. Alongside the tax rise, the Labour-led council has also requested £15 million in "exceptional financial support" from the government to manage pressures on services. The budget aims to deliver £12.4 million in savings while launching a transformation program to close the medium-term financial gap. Housing is a central focus of the new £1 billion budget, with £112 million allocated to build and purchase new homes to address the city's housing crisis. A further £10 million has been earmarked for road and pothole repairs. Council tax itself is expected to generate around £210 million, with the bulk of the council's budget coming from government grants, business rates, and other fees and charges. The move by Brighton and Hove is not unique; 119 of 153 top-tier local authorities in England had either proposed or confirmed a 4.99% council tax rise for the 2026/27 fiscal year.
