A study by Go.Compare Home Insurance has revealed Birmingham residents are the worst affected by recent council tax rises and will pay an additional £43.1 million in 2025/26. In addition, Windsor and Maidenhead households have been hit hardest individually, with an average increase of £169.43 per property.
New research has found that Birmingham’s residents are set to be hit hardest by rising council tax rates for 2025/26. Households across the city will pay an extra £43.1 million this tax year – the most significant overall increase of any local authority in England.[1]
The country can expect a total council tax rise of £2.1 billion in the 2025/26 period, with bills soaring for households in some areas.[2] Windsor and Maidenhead residents will experience the largest increase per property, with eligible households seeing a jump of £169.43 compared to 2024/25.[1]
This tax year’s rise represents 29% of the total increase across the last four years.[2] During this period, residents in Birmingham have again seen the largest overall increase, with the city’s total council tax bill rising by £136.8 million since 2022/23.[2]
The study by Go.Compare Home Insurance has revealed England’s most significant council tax hikes, calculating how much more households will pay compared to previous years. Although costs have risen across the country, some areas have seen particularly sharp increases, with bills soaring by hundreds of pounds in some cases.
Analysing official government data, the insurance comparison site found that authorities have raised council tax rates by an average of 4.9% in 2025/26. But, some struggling councils have pushed them higher to cope with financial strain.[1]
The top five largest council tax increases in 2025/26 for eligible properties:[2]
The top five largest average council tax increases in 2025/26 per eligible property:
Nathan Blackler, home insurance expert at Go.Compare, said, “Council tax is an essential household expense, but for many, these rising costs are putting even more pressure on already stretched budgets. If you’re struggling, it’s worth checking if you qualify for council tax reductions or any support schemes in your area.
“At the same time, looking for savings on other bills, like home insurance, could help offset some of these rising costs. Shopping around for a better deal could make a real difference to your monthly outgoings.“
You can learn more about the recent council tax increases and see the council tax calculator on Go.Compare’s website.
About the Data:
[1] To calculate the total council tax increase in England over the last four years, Go.Compare used council tax figures from the last five years. Council tax band D is the only figure supplied, and all other council tax bands use a proportion value of this rate. This was used to calculate the increase for each band in each area over the last four years.The Go.Compare analysts then multiplied these figures by the number of eligible households in each area, based on the Government Council Taxbase. This total excludes properties that receive discounts or exemptions. All data is sourced from the latest reported council tax figures. The total increase for all areas was then combined to find the total increase for England.
[2] To determine council tax increases for local authorities, Go.Compare calculated the total increase for each authority over the last four years using government council tax data. This was combined with the number of eligible households in each area based on the Government Council Taxbase.This allowed Go.Compare to calculate both the average increase per authority and the total increase across eligible properties in each area. Percentage increases were calculated from the 2024/25 and 2025/26 figures.
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