THE TAXPAYERS’ Alliance has said councils must put a stop to endless council tax rises with 171 English authorities’ average tax bills now more than £2,000, a 64 per cent increase from last year.

The campaign group says 55 per cent of Band D households in the UK are now charged more than £2,000, compared to 34 per cent last year.

This is already the case in Farnham  (£2,187.51) and Haslemere (£2,165.65), and will soon be the case with a modest 2.5 per cent increase next year in Alton (£1,949.48), Whitehill & Bordon (£1,940.31) and Bramshott & Liphook (£1,933.55).

Council tax has increased by 246 per cent since 1993-94, taking the highest Band D bills to well over £2,200.

Farnham’s tax bill is now just £112.49 less than the highest council tax in England, at £2,300 in Rutland.

As residents of nearly every council in England face increased council tax bills tomorrow (Friday), the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has revealed council tax has increased by nearly 250 per cent in cash terms since it was first introduced in 1993.

In 1993-94, the average Band D council tax bill in England was £568. In 2022-23, the figure is £1,966, an increase of 246 per cent in cash terms.

The analysis suggests the average Band D bill in England will likely exceed £2,000 in 2023-24. The lowest council tax bills in England came in at £866 in Westminster.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance says the cost of living crisis is devastating household incomes and looming tax rises will inflict further pain, and is calling on local authorities to stop council tax rises, eradicate wasteful spending, and scrap pay rises for town hall bosses.

Harry Fone, grassroots campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Residents are sick to the back teeth of endless council tax rises.

“We’re in the middle of a cost- of-living crisis and the last thing taxpayers need is more pressure trying to make ends meet every month.

“Every local authority must face up to reality and become more efficient by scrapping wasteful projects and stopping bumper pay rises for staff.”