The average Brit faces a £100 council tax hike this year as 95% of local authorities raise bills by the maximum amount.
The County Councils Network (CCN) says 129 of the 136 unitary local authorities across England will increase council tax bills by 4.99% this year.
That is the maximum amount the Government allows without holding a local referendum. It means the average Band D household will be paying £103 more across the year, reports MailOnline.
Only three in four councils planned to increase bills by the maximum last year, CNN says.
Council leaders have now warned families face the additional payout because of the increased cost of living.
Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council and vice-chairman of the CCN, said: “County authorities face a £1.1billion budget shortfall over the next two years.
“With council tax now accounting for two-thirds of the average county authority’s funding, we have little choice but to take the difficult but necessary decision to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent to continue to protect services and ward off the threat of financial insolvency in the future.
Authorities have now been told to make savings to avoid passing the costs onto the taxpayer. Elliot Keck, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance said: “Financial mismanagement by local councils has been mercilessly exposed in recent months, and town hall bosses are scrambling to plug the gap.”
A spokesman for the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing said: “We recognise councils are facing challenges, that is why we announced an extra £600million support package for councils across England.”
