Birmingham Council Approves 4.99% Council Tax Hike

0:00On March 5, Birmingham City Council has approved a council tax increase of 4.99% for the 2026-20, 27 financial year starting this April. For a typical BAND property, that means the bill jumps from 2,237 pounds to 2,353 pounds and 17 pints and extra 116 pounds a year. This comes after a heated budget meeting amid the city's ongoing financial recovery. The rise stays just under the government's 5% cap for councils like Birmingham, avoiding the need for a referendum. Most households will see this standard hike, but residents in New Franklin face an additional 10 pints precept on BAND homes while those in royal. Certain coal field will pay 10 pounds more, up 16.68% on their local precept. Council leader John Cotton declared the days of bankrupt Birmingham are over, highlighting how they've closed a 300 million-pound budget gap.

1:00Through tough cuts, he noted that Birmingham's rates remain below other major cities and with most homes and lower bans, 4 and 5 households pay less than 2 pounds, extra per week. The council also protects support schemes, leaving around 70,000 low-income families with no bill at all. Opposition councils weren't convinced, blasting labor for the financial mess from equal pay issues and a failed IT system plus the BIN strike. Now in its second year, conservatives called it empty talk after years of rubbish piles and rats, while liberal Democrats and Greens warned, full recovery is still far off. Meanwhile, the BIN's dispute drags on, with workers claiming big pay cuts and the council insisting on fair offers. As Birmingham pushes forward, these local taxes aim to stabilize services without deeper crises ahead.