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Council Tax

Find out how to pay Council Tax to your local district or borough council in Suffolk. Find out about our saving and spending plans for 2023 to 2024.

If you meet the Council Tax criteria as a Suffolk resident, you have to pay Council Tax to support funding for:

Your district or borough council collects your Council Tax. It is then distributed to the organisations listed above.

How to pay Council Tax

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

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

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

You can enter your postcode on GOV.UK to find your local council.

Council Tax changes for 2023-2024

Suffolk County Council agreed its 2023-2024 Budget and 2023-2027 Capital Programme at its meeting on Thursday 9 February 2023.

As part of this, the council agreed to increase its portion of Council Tax by a total of 3.99% for the year 2023-24 (from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024) for Suffolk householders.

The 3.99% rise comprises:

  • an increase in the element relating to county-wide services equivalent to a 1.99% rise in Council Tax; and
  • an increase in the element ring-fenced to help fund Adult Social Care (the Social Care Precept) equivalent to a 2.00% rise in Council Tax.

Apply for Council Tax Reduction

This is sometimes called Council Tax Support. You could be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits. Your bill could be reduced by up to 100%.

You can apply if you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working.

What you get depends on:

  • where you live - each council runs its own scheme
  • your circumstances (for example 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

Visit gov.uk for more information.

Cost of living support

Find out what help is available to support you through the cost of living challenge. We have a range of advice for households, businesses and charitable organisations as well as ways people can offer support. Go to the cost of living support pages for more details.

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What is the Adult Social Care Precept?

The Adult Social Care Precept is one element that makes up your total Council Tax bill.

Other elements include money for the Police and Crime Commissioner, and your local parish or town council.

Funds raised through the Adult Social Care Precept are ring-fenced for spending on adult social care, guaranteeing a pot of money to spend on supporting those who need it most.

Each year, Government tells councils the maximum amount they can increase the Adult Social Care Precept as a percentage of the previous year’s total Council Tax bill.

For 2023/24, Government set this at 2% and Suffolk County Council chose to apply the full 2% increase.

How is the Adult Social Care precept calculated?

We will use the example of a Band D property.

Your bill may vary, depending on the Council Tax Band of your house and where you live in Suffolk.

Your total Council Tax bill for 2022/23 = £1,438.92

The Adult Social Care Precept element of that bill = £159.75

For 2023/24, Suffolk County Council will increase its Adult Social Care Precept element, by 2% of your total Council Tax bill for 2022/23.

2% of your total Council Tax bill for 2022/23 (£1,438.92):

£1,438.92 x 0.02 = £28.78

Therefore, your Adult Social Care Precept element for 2023/24 will be £188.53:

£159.75 + £28.78 = £188.53

If we only look at the percentage increase of the Adult Social Care Precept element from 2022/23 (£159.75) to 2023/24 (£188.53), it is 18.02%.

However, the Adult Social Care Precept element for 2023/24 (£188.53) has increased by 2.00% (£28.78) of the total Council Tax bill for 2022/23 (£1,438.92).

This is why a 2% increase is listed on your bill for 2023/24.

How is this shown on my Council Tax bill?

The 2.00% listed on your bill refers to the increase (£28.78) taken from your total Council Tax bill for 2022/23 (£1,438.92), and not a 2% increase of the Adult Social Care Precept element from 2022/23 (£159.75).

The Adult Social Care Precept element must be expressed as the percentage increase (2%) of your total Council Tax bill for the previous year 2022/23 (£1,438.92).

This is how Government prescribes that Council Tax charges must be shown on a bill, to ensure consistency across the country.

Therefore, it is not shown as the increase of just the Adult Social Care Precept element from 2022/23 to 2023/24 (18.02%).

Billing Authorities (such as the Anglia Revenue Partnership and Suffolk Revenue Partnership) do not have the ability to put any further details onto the face of the bill, which is why we have provided this additional explanation on our website.