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 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 2023 to 2024
Our budget 2023 to 2024 plan sees an overall revenue budget (money spent on things related to running the council and overheads) of £483.5 million. Of this, council tax contributes £258.8 million.
Our total gross spending on council services, as well as schools and welfare benefits, in 2023/24 will be £1,188 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 2023/24 has increased by 4.99%, which includes a 2% increase for funding Adult Social Care.
The Avon Fire Authority has increased the amount it needs from council taxpayers by 6.4% (£5 increase per band D property).
The Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner has increased the amount it needs from council taxpayers by 5.9% (£15 increase per band D property).
Below is a table summarising the budgets for 2022/23 and 2021/22:
| 2022/23 | 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross expenditure |
£1,091 million |
£1,040 million |
| Revenue budget |
£431.1 million |
£424.1 million |
| Council tax contribution |
£243.3 million |
£236.2 million |
| Council tax increase (including Adult Social Care precept) |
2.99% (1% for Adult Social Care precept) |
4.99% (3% for Adult Social Care precept) |
| Avon Fire Authority increase |
1.99% |
1.99% |
| Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner increase |
4.1% |
5.9% |
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It was originally made for the financial years up to and including 2019-20.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 2023/24, 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 2023/24
| Region | Gross 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
| Region | Gross 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 |
Levies on the council in 2021/22
| Region | Gross expenditure (£m) | Total levy requirement (£m) | Levy on the council |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA Severn and Wye RFCC |
28 |
1.19 |
2,913 |
| EA Wessex RFCC |
40.2 |
3.86 |
467,630 |
| Lower Severn IDB |
1.6 |
1.4 |
736,172 |
| Devon and Severn IFCA |
0.74 |
0.74 |
41,810 |
Council tax notice
The pdf Council Tax Notice for 2023/24 (148 KB) shows the council tax bands commencing from 1 April 2023.
Emergency services
Get information on spending plans for the Police and fire brigade and details of how the budgets are finalised:
2023/24
- pdf Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner 2023/24 (1.06 MB)
- pdf Avon Fire Authority: Your fire and rescue service 2023/24 (231 KB)