Bracknell Forest Council tax rates revealed for 2024-25

The standard amount that residents of mid-level ‘band D’ valued homes will pay will be more than £2,000 a year, if council leaders’ plans to increase tax by nearly 5 per cent are approved.

But people in the highest valued homes, those in band H, will pay around twice as much – up to £4,312.04 in Bracknell. Meanwhile those in the lowest band, A, will pay around £1,500 a year.

The standard amount you could pay depends on what band your home falls into, and where in the borough you live. However some people – such those in households with only one adult, or those on low incomes – are eligible for discounts.

You can find out what band and parish you’re in from your current council tax bill, then use the table below to see the standard amount you could pay a year from April.

Table shows Bracknell Forest Council's proposed council tax rates for 2024-25 (Image: LDRS)

How is my council tax worked out?

Most of your council tax goes to Bracknell Forest Council to pay for the day-to-day running of its services. These range from libraries and leisure centres to grass cutting and rubbish collection, and social services for people most in need.

Each financial year – starting and ending in April – the council works out how much it will need to spend. It looks at how much money it expects to get from sources such as government grants, business rates and income from its own services.

Then it decides how much it needs to increase council tax by to cover remaining costs. Bracknell Forest Council leaders decided on February 6 that they needed to increase it by the maximum – 4.99 per cent. They say that government funding isn’t keeping up with rising costs.

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On top of that the police, fire brigade and town and parish councils each add their own charge – a precept – which is collected by Bracknell Forest Council and passed on to them.

Thames Valley Police has already decided to raise its charge by 5.1 per cent. That's £269.28 a year for band D properties, up from £256.28.

And Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service looks set to increase its charge by 2.99 per cent. That's £81.31 a year for band D properties, up from £78.95.

Bracknell Forest councillors are set to vote on whether to approve the tax rates – along with the rest of the council’s budget – at a special meeting on Wednesday, February 21.