Where your money goes and a guide to your council tax bill.

Council tax and your bill

Council tax is your way of helping to pay for many local services like emergency services, rubbish and recycling collection, libraries, schools, street lights and much more.

Council tax is charged on the household. It's based on the value of the property and not on what the household earns. The band is decided by the Valuation Office. See council tax charges and bands

The amount of council tax you have to pay depends on which property band your home is in.

Your final bill will be changed if you qualify for any of the council tax discounts or exemptions.

Budget 2024 to 2025

Our budget 2024 to 2025 plan sees an overall revenue budget (money spent on things related to running the council and overheads) of £530.1 million. Of this, council tax contributes £282 million.

Our total gross spending on council services, as well as schools and welfare benefits, in 2024/25 will be £1,260 million. Spending by schools and on benefits is largely funded by the government.

Council services are also paid for by income from business rates, grants, service users, other organisations and our investments. 

Council tax for 2024/25 has increased by 4.99%. This includes a 2.99% council tax increase together with a 2% increase which will be specifically used to support Adult Social Care services.  

The Avon Fire Authority has increased the amount it needs from council taxpayers by 2.9% (£2.48 increase per band D property). 

The Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner has increased the amount it needs from council taxpayers by 4.9% (£13 increase per band D property).

Below is a table summarising the budgets for 2022/23 and 2023/24:

 2023/242022/23
Gross expenditure

£1,260 million

£1,091 million

Revenue budget

£530.1 million

£431.1 million

Council tax contribution

£282 million

£243.3 million

Council tax increase (including Adult Social Care precept)

4.99% (2% for Adult Social Care precept)

2.99% (1% for Adult Social Care precept)

Avon Fire Authority increase

2.99%

1.99%

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner increase

4.9%

4.1%

Adult Social Care precept 

The Secretary of State gave Adult Social care authorities the option to charge an additional ‘precept' on its council tax without holding a referendum, to help them cover their costs for adult social care from the financial year 2016/17.

It was originally made for the financial years up to and including 2019-20. If the Secretary of State chooses to renew this offer in respect of a particular financial year, it will be subject to the approval of the House of Commons.

Note: Adult Social Care authorities are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. This include county councils in England, district councils for areas in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.

For 2024/25, following public consultation, we've agreed to take up the offer and increased council tax by 2% to help cover the costs of social care.

Levies on the council

The Environment Agency (EA) and the Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board (IDB) charge the council a levy for flood defence and land drainage. The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) charge a levy for the management of the local marine environment.

Levies on the council in 2024/25

RegionGross expenditure (£m)Total levy requirement (£m)Levy on the council 
EA Severn and Wye RFCC

33.4

1.27

3,335

EA Wessex RFCC

137.6

4.1

499,693

Lower Severn IDB

2.0

1.8

948,676

Devon and Severn IFCA

0.94

0.79

44,356

 

Levies on the council in 2023/24

RegionGross expenditure (£m)Total levy requirement (£m)Levy on the council 
EA Severn and Wye RFCC

33.6

1.25

3,297

EA Wessex RFCC

94.6

4.01

477,286

Lower Severn IDB

2.0

1.6

876,576

Devon and Severn IFCA

0.76

0.76

43,064


Levies on the council in 2022/23

RegionGross expenditure  (£m)Total levy requirement (£m)Levy on the council 
EA Severn and Wye RFCC

33.8

1.22

2,880

EA Wessex RFCC

61.6

3.93

470,554

Lower Severn IDB

1.9

1.5

804,477

Devon and Severn IFCA

0.76

0.76

43,064


Council tax notice 

The pdf Council Tax Notice for 2024/25 (74 KB)  shows the council tax bands commencing from 1 April 2024.

Emergency services

Get information on spending plans for the Police and fire brigade and details of how the budgets are finalised:

2024/25

2023/24

2022/23

Related links