Council Tax and budgets

Council Tax and budgets

Find out how to pay Council Tax to your local district Council and how we use the money.

We continue to listen to what is important to our residents and this is reflected in our budget this year. 

We are funding a record £40 million extra for adults and children’s social care to protect the most vulnerable in our society. 

At the same time, we are investing in the things that residents tell us are important and need improving, such as better roads and pavements, tackling congestion and improving public transport. 

We are doing all this whilst keeping the level of our Council Tax to one of the very lowest of any County Council in the country. The increase is less than inflation and equivalent to £1.33 per week for a Band D property.

Total spend in 2023/2034

  • Adult Social Care, Public Health and communities £359m
  • Children's Services £396m
  • Economy, Infrastructure and the Environment £100m
  • Corporate Services, including finance, legal and cost of borrowing £80m
  • Total spend: £935m

In response to what you have told us, we are investing 

  • a further £19.4m for highways in addition to the £36m agreed last year to improve roads
  • £12m to improve pavements
  • £3m to renew highways drainage and flood maintenance
  • £500,000 for minor highways works
  • 150,000 trees to be planted to develop sustainable woodlands
  • additional £3.5 to maintain bus services
  • £6m to improve street lighting
  • £53m on a new secondary school new school places across the county
  • £268m for those who need Adult Social Care in 23/24
  • £146m to improve the lives of children and young people
  • £91m to support people to live independently for longer through Public Health and Communities.

Where the money comes from to pay for the 2023 to 2024 Budget

The majority of the Council’s funding is from Council Tax income and the County area is allowed to keep up to 50% of the business rate growth collected in Worcestershire since the introduction of the Business Rates Retention Scheme in April 2013. 

The cost of providing our services in 2023/24, net of specific grants, is £400.8 million which has increased by £27.6 million from the previous year. Additional cost pressures in respect of inflation and increases in the demand for services such as the extra numbers of people needing social care are the main reasons for this increase, some of which are significantly higher than the general rate of inflation.

Summary of net budget for 2023/24

  • £160m - Adult social care and Communities 
  • £111m - Children’s Services
  • £69m - Economy and Infrastructure 
  • £24m - Support services including finance and legal 
  • £37m – Corporate costs including debt financing
  • £401m - Total net budget

If you wish to query the District Council element, please contact your local District Council.

How to pay your Council Tax

Each Council Tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Before the start of each Council Tax year, your district council will send you a single bill which details the amount of Council Tax you owe. 

You will not receive a separate bill from Worcestershire County Council for its portion of your Council Tax.

Find more details of the Council Tax billing and collection arrangements for each district council:

Contact District Council

Council tax bands

You can check your council tax band via the Government Council Tax Bands page.

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