Councils given the flexibility to increase council tax and social rents capped at 7%

Jeremy Hunt announced that English local authorities will be able to increase council tax by 5% annually without a referendum.

Following the Autumn Statement, local authorities will be allowed to raise council tax by 3%, and those which also have social care responsibilities can increase it by a further 2% (a total of 5%) without a local vote.

You can keep track of your local council tax rates from your council’s website or by searching your address on gov.uk.

In addition, Jeremy Hunt has also announced that the government will limit social housing rent increases to 7% next year, rather than the 5% previously suggested.

The decision to raise the limit follows a consultation with social housing providers, which showed that a 5% increase would not be enough to cover the costs of repairing and maintaining homes.

The government has also stated that it will provide an additional £100 million to help social housing providers with the costs of repairs and maintenance. The announcement has been welcomed by many in the social housing sector, who say that it will help to ensure that homes are fit for purpose and can be maintained to a high standard. However, some have criticised the decision, saying that it will lead to higher rents for tenants.