Council tax in Milton Keynes is cheaper than average in England

New figures from the Government department show that the council tax rate for a Band D property in the city, excluding local parish precepts, is £1,759.72 for the current tax year, an increase of 4.99 per cent on 12 months previously.

Band D is the standard measure of council tax, with all other bands set as a proportion of this rate.

The average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England, excluding parish precepts, for 2025-2026 will be £2,236, an increase of £106 on 2024-2025.

The majority of English councils raised council tax last year, with eight freezing it, and one cutting it.

A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said council tax was an important funding source, but is not enough to pay for all local services in the face of "significant financial pressures."

They added: "Councils need a significant change in our funding to stabilise local Government finances so we can deliver the services that local people want to see."

By law, the most councils can raise tax by in a single year is 4.99 per cent, with anything higher requiring a referendum.

A council tax bill may consist of several elements, including council tax collected for county councils, the fire and rescue authority, the police and crime commissioner, combined authority and parish or other smaller local councils.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "We are under no illusion about the scale of financial issues facing councils we inherited and work is underway to fix the foundations and bring long-term stability to the sector.

"While councils are ultimately responsible for setting their own council tax levels, we have been clear that they should put taxpayers first and carefully consider the impact of their decisions.

"That’s why we are maintaining a referendum threshold on council tax rises, so taxpayers can have the final say and be protected from excessive increases."

The news comes as controversial increases to car parking tariffs in the city centre, introduced by Milton Keynes City Council, come into force.

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