Dorset council tax among the highest in England for 2022/23

The cost of living crisis shows no sign of easing as households across the UK face a huge price hike on their council tax bills with the start of the 2022/23 financial year today.

New Government figures reveal that residents in the Dorset Council area will pay the fifth-highest council tax rate in the country.

Nationally, the average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England for 2022/23 is £1,966, up £67 or 3.5% on the previous year, according to data published on Wednesday by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.

This includes adult social care and parish precepts, but does not take into account the £150 council tax rebate that will be provided to households in Bands A to D by the Government to help with rising energy prices.

The average 3.5% rise for Band D properties in 2022/23 is below the 4.4% rise in 2021/22 and is also the lowest year-on-year increase since 2016/17.

A full list of council tax levels for each local authority in England has also been published by the the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities. The figures are based on the average Band D property for councils across the country for the new financial year.

The list is ranked from highest to lowest and reads, from left to right: name of local authority, type of local authority, average Band D council tax for 2022/23 including adult social care and parish precepts where appropriate, percentage change on 2021/22.

Northumberland (Unitary authority) £1,988 4.01%

Gateshead (Metropolitan) £1,972 2.99%

Rutland (Unitary authority) £1,968 4.81%

Nottingham (Unitary authority) £1,955 2.99%

Dorset (Unitary authority) £1,945 2.94%

Walsall (Metropolitan) £1,928 2.99%

Bristol (Unitary authority) £1,901 2.99%

Cornwall (Unitary authority) £1,862 3.15%

Liverpool (Metropolitan) £1,855 2.99%

Durham (Unitary authority) £1,853 2.94%

Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Metropolitan) £1,847 2.96%

Hartlepool (Unitary authority) £1,839 4.93%

Reading (Unitary authority) £1,830 2.99%

Isle of Wight (Unitary authority) £1,828 2.96%

Coventry (Metropolitan) £1,820 2.94%

Wolverhampton (Metropolitan) £1,818 2.99%

Stockport (Metropolitan) £1,811 3.50%

Middlesbrough (Unitary authority) £1,811 3.01%

Central Bedfordshire (Unitary authority) £1,801 2.10%

Oldham (Metropolitan) £1,797 3.99%

Brighton & Hove (Unitary authority) £1,795 2.99%

Sefton (Metropolitan) £1,782 3.07%

Stockton-on-Tees (Unitary authority) £1,781 2.92%

Wiltshire (Unitary authority) £1,780 3.35%

Rochdale (Metropolitan) £1,779 2.99%

Herefordshire (Unitary authority) £1,775 2.96%

Salford (Metropolitan) £1,774 3.99%

North Tyneside (Metropolitan) £1,763 2.99%

Sheffield (Metropolitan) £1,758 2.98%

South Gloucestershire (Unitary authority) £1,757 3.06%

Buckinghamshire (Unitary authority) £1,755 4.21%

Redcar & Cleveland (Unitary authority) £1,755 1.98%

Blackpool (Unitary authority) £1,750 2.99%

Leicester (Unitary authority) £1,746 3.00%

South Tyneside (Metropolitan) £1,743 2.95%

Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary authority) £1,743 3.02%

Bury (Metropolitan) £1,741 2.94%

Wokingham (Unitary authority) £1,737 2.89%

North East Lincolnshire (Unitary authority) £1,737 2.95%

Rotherham (Metropolitan) £1,734 4.48%

West Berkshire (Unitary authority) £1,731 3.95%

Kingston-upon-Thames (London) £1,727 1.99%

Bedford (Unitary authority) £1,721 3.95%

Wirral (Metropolitan) £1,713 2.99%

Knowsley (Metropolitan) £1,708 3.02%

Kirklees (Metropolitan) £1,704 3.01%

Blackburn with Darwen (Unitary authority) £1,702 3.98%

Darlington (Unitary authority) £1,698 2.98%

Torbay (Unitary authority) £1,698 3.00%

West Northamptonshire (Unitary authority) £1,694 3.08%

Calderdale (Metropolitan) £1,687 3.01%

Cheshire East (Unitary authority) £1,686 2.90%

East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary authority) £1,678 3.98%

Plymouth (Unitary authority) £1,670 1.00%

Luton (Unitary authority) £1,662 2.99%

Swindon (Unitary authority) £1,661 3.01%

North Lincolnshire (Unitary authority) £1,660 2.79%

Tameside (Metropolitan) £1,653 2.99%

Oxfordshire (County) £1,652 4.99%

Warrington (Unitary authority) £1,651 3.02%

Barnsley (Metropolitan) £1,648 3.49%

Harrow (London) £1,647 2.99%

Southampton (Unitary authority) £1,644 0.00%

Nottinghamshire (County) £1,644 4.00%

Shropshire (Unitary authority) £1,644 3.94%

North Northamptonshire (Unitary authority) £1,639 3.19%

St Helens (Metropolitan) £1,632 2.98%

North Somerset (Unitary authority) £1,630 2.99%

Milton Keynes (Unitary authority) £1,630 3.75%

Bolton (Metropolitan) £1,628 3.11%

Surrey (County) £1,626 4.99%

Richmond-upon-Thames (London) £1,626 1.94%

Bath & North East Somerset (Unitary authority) £1,621 2.98%

East Sussex (County) £1,613 4.49%

Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (Unitary authority) £1,610 3.98%

Halton (Unitary authority) £1,600 3.00%

Medway (Unitary authority) £1,598 3.01%

Warwickshire (County) £1,591 3.74%

Sunderland (Metropolitan) £1,590 2.99%

Wakefield (Metropolitan) £1,589 3.87%

Derby (Unitary authority) £1,578 1.99%

Sandwell (Metropolitan) £1,576 4.99%

Leeds (Metropolitan) £1,576 2.98%

Havering (London) £1,575 2.99%

Portsmouth (Unitary authority) £1,570 2.99%

Croydon (London) £1,570 2.99%

Bradford (Metropolitan) £1,564 3.05%

Southend-on-Sea (Unitary authority) £1,562 3.98%

Birmingham (Metropolitan) £1,560 2.97%

Devon (County) £1,556 2.99%

West Sussex (County) £1,556 2.99%

Bracknell Forest (Unitary authority) £1,546 4.34%

Waltham Forest (London) £1,544 2.99%

Kingston-upon-Hull (Unitary authority) £1,542 2.99%

Doncaster (Metropolitan) £1,542 4.42%

Manchester (Metropolitan) £1,541 2.99%

Slough (Unitary authority) £1,540 2.99%

Sutton (London) £1,538 2.99%

Solihull (Metropolitan) £1,536 3.85%

Telford & Wrekin (Unitary authority) £1,531 0.89%

Hertfordshire (County) £1,529 3.99%

Cumbria (County) £1,528 2.00%

Bexley (London) £1,527 2.99%

Peterborough (Unitary authority) £1,523 3.01%

Norfolk (County) £1,517 2.99%

Lancashire (County) £1,514 3.99%

York (Unitary authority) £1,508 3.02%

Dudley (Metropolitan) £1,494 2.99%

Haringey (London) £1,484 2.99%

Cambridgeshire (County) £1,470 4.99%

Redbridge (London) £1,468 2.99%

Stoke-on-Trent (Unitary authority) £1,468 2.99%

North Yorkshire (County) £1,467 3.99%

Kent (County) £1,461 2.99%

Trafford (Metropolitan) £1,454 2.99%

Leicestershire (County) £1,453 2.99%

Gloucestershire (County) £1,451 2.99%

Enfield (London) £1,446 1.00%

Thurrock (Unitary authority) £1,441 3.00%

Suffolk (County) £1,439 2.99%

Isles of Scilly (Unitary authority) £1,436 2.99%

Lincolnshire (County) £1,432 4.99%

Derbyshire (County) £1,425 3.00%

Lewisham (London) £1,421 2.99%

Brent (London) £1,419 2.99%

Wigan (Metropolitan) £1,410 2.99%

Staffordshire (County) £1,401 2.99%

Essex (County) £1,401 4.49%

Worcestershire (County) £1,397 3.94%

Camden (London) £1,397 2.99%

Somerset (County) £1,394 2.99%

Hampshire (County) £1,391 2.99%

Barking & Dagenham (London) £1,389 2.99%

Merton (London) £1,386 3.00%

Hounslow (London) £1,379 2.99%

Barnet (London) £1,351 1.00%

Bromley (London) £1,341 1.00%

Ealing (London) £1,340 2.99%

Islington (London) £1,315 2.99%

Greenwich (London) £1,315 2.99%

Hackney (London) £1,276 2.99%

Lambeth (London) £1,265 2.99%

Hillingdon (London) £1,263 1.90%

Windsor & Maidenhead (Unitary authority) £1,208 3.03%

Southwark (London) £1,199 2.99%

Newham (London) £1,137 2.99%

Tower Hamlets (London) £1,124 1.00%

Kensington & Chelsea (London) £987 1.99%

City of London (London) £956 0.34%

Hammersmith & Fulham (London) £832 0.00%

Wandsworth (London) £477 minus 1.00%

Westminster (London) £470 0.98%

Ipswich (District) £384 1.98%

Pendle (District) £383 2.60%

Bolsover (District) £354 5.33%

Folkestone & Hythe (District) £347 1.71%

Lewes (District) £344 3.30%

Preston (District) £343 2.00%

Adur (District) £338 1.82%

West Devon (District) £336 2.16%

Oxford (District) £333 1.93%

Sevenoaks (District) £326 2.39%

Burnley (District) £326 1.93%

Stroud (District) £322 2.77%

Wealden (District) £314 2.66%

Maidstone (District) £313 2.35%

Fenland (District) £309 0.14%

Mendip (District) £308 6.50%

North East Derbyshire (District) £306 2.03%

West Lindsey (District) £303 2.58%

Rochford (District) £299 2.24%

Thanet (District) £299 2.33%

Blaby (District) £294 3.03%

Rossendale (District) £294 2.00%

Tonbridge & Malling (District) £293 2.91%

Lincoln (District) £291 1.89%

Mid Devon (District) £291 2.67%

Basildon (District) £291 1.40%

South Somerset (District) £290 4.55%

Harlow (District) £289 0.00%

Derbyshire Dales (District) £285 1.89%

New Forest (District) £285 3.14%

Forest of Dean (District) £285 3.37%

Watford (District) £282 1.50%

Castle Point (District) £282 2.03%

North Kesteven (District) £282 3.20%

Hastings (District) £282 1.99%

Norwich (District) £280 1.99%

Dover (District) £278 3.65%

Arun (District) £276 2.53%

Wyre Forest (District) £276 3.07%

Copeland (District) £276 2.57%

Maldon (District) £275 1.81%

Hart (District) £275 3.37%

North Devon (District) £275 4.01%

North Warwickshire (District) £275 2.11%

Harrogate (District) £275 2.09%

Huntingdonshire (District) £273 3.14%

Rother (District) £273 3.37%

Scarborough (District) £273 2.83%

Teignbridge (District) £272 3.98%

North Hertfordshire (District) £271 2.13%

Uttlesford (District) £271 3.53%

West Suffolk (District) £270 3.34%

Allerdale (District) £269 2.39%

Newark & Sherwood (District) £269 2.18%

Welwyn Hatfield (District) £268 2.83%

Babergh (District) £267 1.93%

Bromsgrove (District) £267 2.02%

Waverley (District) £266 3.65%

Lancaster (District) £265 3.28%

East Hertfordshire (District) £265 2.54%

Boston (District) £265 2.54%

Eastbourne (District) £262 1.99%

Hyndburn (District) £261 2.00%

Richmondshire (District) £261 0.41%

South Hams (District) £260 3.08%

South Cambridgeshire (District) £260 3.89%

Ryedale (District) £259 0.73%

Tandridge (District) £259 2.29%

Eden (District) £259 0.23%

Tunbridge Wells (District) £258 3.21%

Barrow-in-Furness (District) £258 2.09%

Cannock Chase (District) £258 1.98%

Mid Sussex (District) £258 2.85%

Fylde (District) £256 2.25%

Woking (District) £255 2.00%

Surrey Heath (District) £255 2.31%

Redditch (District) £255 2.08%

Melton (District) £255 2.56%

Mid Suffolk (District) £254 1.65%

Worthing (District) £252 2.00%

East Suffolk (District) £252 3.07%

South Norfolk (District) £252 3.40%

Sedgemoor (District) £251 3.25%

Craven (District) £251 1.83%

Chelmsford (District) £251 2.83%

Reigate & Banstead (District) £251 2.21%

South Lakeland (District) £251 2.47%

Torridge (District) £250 3.55%

Nuneaton & Bedworth (District) £249 1.99%

Malvern Hills (District) £248 2.72%

Chichester (District) £248 3.20%

Amber Valley (District) £246 2.34%

Winchester (District) £246 3.74%

North West Leicestershire (District) £246 1.33%

Three Rivers (District) £246 3.03%

Cherwell (District) £245 3.57%

Selby (District) £243 minus 2.16%

Carlisle (District) £243 0.15%

Canterbury (District) £243 2.01%

St Albans (District) £242 3.01%

Lichfield (District) £241 1.59%

Gosport (District) £241 2.12%

South Oxfordshire (District) £240 4.21%

Oadby & Wigston (District) £240 2.13%

Colchester (District) £239 2.26%

Braintree (District) £238 2.81%

Wyre (District) £237 2.83%

Elmbridge (District) £237 2.16%

West Lancashire (District) £236 2.46%

South Ribble (District) £236 minus 0.16%

Cotswold (District) £235 5.55%

East Devon (District) £235 4.65%

Harborough (District) £235 2.38%

Dacorum (District) £233 2.22%

Cheltenham (District) £233 2.60%

South Holland (District) £232 3.13%

East Staffordshire (District) £232 2.59%

Gravesham (District) £232 3.02%

Vale of White Horse (District) £231 3.13%

Charnwood (District) £231 3.47%

East Cambridgeshire (District) £230 1.68%

High Peak (District) £229 3.07%

Horsham (District) £229 1.81%

East Hampshire (District) £229 2.74%

Ashford (District) £229 2.52%

Rugby (District) £229 2.54%

Epping Forest (District) £228 2.78%

Tendring (District) £228 3.25%

Newcastle-under-Lyme (District) £228 2.34%

Bassetlaw (District) £227 2.89%

East Lindsey (District) £227 3.42%

Stevenage (District) £226 2.27%

North Norfolk (District) £225 3.93%

Gloucester (District) £224 2.38%

Swale (District) £223 2.81%

Hertsmere (District) £223 2.98%

Rushcliffe (District) £223 2.94%

Somerset West & Taunton (District) £222 3.46%

Broadland (District) £222 1.87%

Guildford (District) £222 2.75%

Chorley (District) £220 2.71%

Stratford-on-Avon (District) £220 2.76%

Staffordshire Moorlands (District) £220 3.38%

Havant (District) £219 2.33%

Rushmoor (District) £219 2.33%

Crawley (District) £219 2.31%

Brentwood (District) £217 2.61%

Erewash (District) £215 3.07%

Dartford (District) £213 0.18%

South Kesteven (District) £213 3.07%

Epsom & Ewell (District) £213 2.38%

Cambridge (District) £213 2.41%

Warwick (District) £212 1.26%

West Oxfordshire (District) £210 4.84%

Spelthorne (District) £210 2.44%

King’s Lynn & West Norfolk (District) £210 3.81%

Eastleigh (District) £208 3.05%

Breckland (District) £206 4.06%

Worcester (District) £206 2.49%

Broxtowe (District) £205 2.73%

Ashfield (District) £205 2.82%

Hinckley & Bosworth (District) £203 3.28%

Mole Valley (District) £203 2.82%

Tewkesbury (District) £202 4.99%

South Derbyshire (District) £200 2.80%

Gedling (District) £199 2.95%

Mansfield (District) £198 minus 0.06%

Great Yarmouth (District) £197 3.87%

Chesterfield (District) £197 2.89%

Test Valley (District) £197 3.12%

South Staffordshire (District) £192 3.45%

Tamworth (District) £192 2.68%

Stafford (District) £192 2.13%

Ribble Valley (District) £182 2.88%

Runnymede (District) £180 2.84%

Fareham (District) £175 2.94%

Wychavon (District) £173 0.67%

Exeter (District) £170 3.03%

Hambleton (District) £166 5.27%

Basingstoke & Deane (District) £160 3.41%

Broxbourne (District) £148 3.49%

How do I check how much my council tax is going up?

The amount of tax you will pay is determined by your local council and will depend on what band your home falls under.

Every property is placed into a council tax band, which is based on the value your home would have been worth in April 1991.

The more expensive a property is, the higher the amount of council tax you will be charged.

In England, houses are categorised into one of the following eight bands:

Band A – up to £40,000

Band B – £40,000 to £52,000

Band C – £52,000 to £68,000

Band D – £68,000 to £88,000

Band E – £88,000 to £120,000

Band F – £120,000 to £160,000

Band G – £160,000 to £320,000

Band H – property value over £320,000

Can I get help with paying my bill?

The UK government has confirmed a new £150 council tax rebate scheme which will apply to bills from April.

It will affect homes in council bands A, B, C and D in England, which is around 20 million households, including 95% of rented properties.

Households not covered by the rebate may be able to get a discount if you claim certain benefits, are on a low income, are single, or have caring responsibilities.

Discounts range from 25% to 100%, but the amount will depend on where you live.

- Whether you are entitled to help through a Council Tax Support scheme will depend on:

- Where you live

- Your circumstances - for example your income, number of children, benefits, residency status

- Your household income - this includes savings, pensions and your partner’s income

- If your children live with you

- If other adults live with you

You can contact your local council to find out if you are eligible and apply for a council tax reduction directly.