Council Tax bill explained

The majority of the money we spend on services every year comes from Council Tax and Business Rates.

Since 2010 we have saved £6 million from our budget as a result of reductions in our government funding. We have worked hard to protect the things you care about though, with less than 1% of these savings coming from frontline services.

By 2028 we need to save over £1.5million. That is why this year we took the difficult decision to increase our share of the Council Tax bill by £5 for an average Band D property.

This increase will help protect the important services we all rely on.

Our share of the bill continues to be the second lowest in Worcestershire and one of the lowest in the country.

Who you pay Council Tax to:

You pay Council Tax to five different organisations. Each one charges a different amount for their services. These different amounts are added together to make your total Council Tax bill. We are responsible for collecting the money and passing it on to these other organisations.

In this area you pay Council Tax to:

Worcestershire County Council

For every pound you pay in Council Tax, 70.5p is given to Worcestershire County Council. This pays for services including, but not limited to, adult social care, looked after children, road and path maintenance, libraries and waste disposal.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner

In 2024/5 you will pay 12.7p in every pound to the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner. This is to help fight crime and keep communities safe.

Malvern Hills District Council

We keep just 8.5p in every pound you give us in Council Tax. This funds services including waste and recycling collections, planning services, business support, housing, parks, public toilets, elections, community safety and much more.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

They get 4.5p out of every pound of Council Tax. Your money helps to support the work of this service including tackling fires, dealing with road traffic collisions and responding to major emergencies like flooding.

Town/parish council

Every area in our district has a town or parish council. 3.8p in every pound goes to them. The services they run vary but they can include parks/playgrounds, allotments, cemeteries, bus shelters, Christmas lights and they also comment on planning applications.

Adult Social Care charge

Adult social care authorities, in our case Worcestershire County Council, are able to increase their share of the Council Tax bill by an extra amount without holding a referendum. For Worcestershire in 2024/25 this is 3% and is specifically to fund the cost of adult social care and is on top of any increase to fund the day-to-day running of services.

Help to pay your Council Tax bill

Depending on your circumstances you may qualify for help with paying your Council Tax bill. Visit our Council Tax Support page for more information. You may also qualify for certain discounts and exemptions on your Council Tax bill.

Get your Council Tax bill by email or pay online

You can now get your Council Tax bill straight to your inbox as well as make payments online and by signing up for a self-service account.

Check your Council Tax band

You can check your Council Tax band or rate by putting your postcode into our My Local Area database.