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Council tax

Understanding council tax charges

Council tax charges are determined through the Council Budget, by considering our expected expenditure and our required savings for the current financial year (2024 to 2025).

Our gross expenditure for the current financial year is £558.853 million, an increase from £549.489 million in 2023 to 2024, it's broken down as follows:

Areas of expenditure (excluding Benefits and Schools) Pence in the pound
Adult Care 37
Children, Young people and Education 25
Council Support and Public Engagement 1
Culture and Leisure 4
Environment, Waste and Regulatory Services 10
Housing and Homelessness 3
Transport, Highways and Planning 6
Supporting Capital Investment 14

This continues to be a difficult financial time for councils across the country. Despite ongoing pressures and national financial uncertainty, we're taking a firm stance with our 2024 to 2025 Budget, focused around caring for York, whilst making savings and efficiencies where we can.

This means caring for residents and communities, including the most vulnerable and protecting frontline services; caring for the economy, including businesses hit the hardest by the pandemic; and caring for York’s environment by continuing to address the climate emergency.

Annual council tax changes

In total the amount collected through council tax will rise this year by 4.99%. This will be made up of changes to the government Adult Social Care Precept, as well as the basic council tax rate:

  • the government Adult Social Care Precept will be set at 2%
  • there will be a 2.99% increase in basic council tax

The amount raised though council tax charges this year will be £113.927 million (an increase from £107.783 million in 2023 to 2024).

We’re raising an additional £999,223 from charges in Parish Council areas (an increase from £927,441 in 2023 to 2024).

The Adult Social Care Precept will be spent exclusively on adult social care. York continues to face increased pressures including the costs of adult social care.

Police and fire precepts, which contribute towards the costs of emergency services in our area, will also have an impact on council tax. The level of the police and fire precept charge varies according to the charges in Parish Council areas.

Your council tax payments

If you’re struggling with your council tax payments, you can spread the cost of your bill over 12 months rather than 10.

See further information about your council tax, or find out if you're eligible for any council tax discounts or exemptions.

Also see

Council Tax appointments

To get council tax advice in person at West Offices, you need to make an appointment.

Make an appointment

Sign language interpreting service

If you use British Sign Language (BSL) you can access our BSL interpreting service when visiting West Offices, and when contacting us remotely.

BSL Interpreting Service