Residents in Bradford have slammed their local authority for increasing council tax by almost 10 per cent.
It comes as The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities today reveals the level of council tax set by local authorities in England for financial year 2025/26.
From April 1, council tax bills will rise for millions of households with most local authorities in England preparing increases of 5 per cent – adding around £109 to a typical band D bill.
But in Bradford, the Labour-run council submitted a bid to increase bills by 14.99 per cent in 2025-26. It was given consent for a 9.9 per cent hike - the highest rise in the country - meaning an average Band D household in Bradford will face an increase of £170.
Residents in Bradford have slammed their local authority for increasing council tax by almost 10 per cent
Getty/ GB News
The council tax has been raised as Bradford Council faces rising costs and debts which are expected to reach £1bn by 2030, and over the next few years, 20p in every pound of the council's income will go towards paying off debts.
GB News spoke to people in Bradford, the City of Culture 2025, about the council tax increase. Cathy said: "I think they've [the council] got a damn cheek.
"I think they've destroyed this city, absolutely destroyed it, and now we're having to pay for it all. I don't think it's right.
"They've closed the streets off, pulled the markets down and not replaced them - we go to Halifax now instead of coming to Bradford, it's much nicer."
Retired builder and grandfather, Mick, told GB News that his council tax will rise by an extra £300 or £400.
He said: "I live in a four bedroom detached house, but obviously with a big house, you get big bills with it, and I just think it's too much."
Another Bradford resident, Chris, said that he would struggle to afford the increase in council tax. But the council have said support is there to help residents who struggle financially to pay their council tax through the Council Tax Reduction programme.
He said: "I don't agree with it [the council tax rise] and the money should be spent elsewhere.
"I'm going to have to make some cut backs to pay for it and reduce what I pay for gas and electric and food."
Emma Haycox also lives in Bradford and thinks the cost of living crisis will make it hard for some people to pay extra council tax.
She said: "A lot of people in Bradford don't have enough money to pay for their kids to go to school and have a proper meal at night time, but they expect us to find another 10% council tax - from where? The cost of living crisis kind of killed everybody."
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The council's district remit includes the City of Bradford itself and the towns of Keighley, Shipley, Bingley and Ilkley and numerous large villages including Haworth along with Addingham, Baildon, Burley, Cullingworth, Denholme, Oxenhope, Queensbury, Silsden and Steeton.
Debbie told GB News that she believes the council are investing too much money into the city rather than its surrounds.
She said: "We're spending too much money on Bradford and they should spend it elsewhere where it needs it."
Emma agreed and added: "The surrounding areas like Shipley and Haworth should have more spent on them - Shipley needs doing up.
"It's not right at all for like somebody like me who's young, for the future, it's a bit of a worry and it's not acceptable to rise it."
But Wendy disagreed with the majority and believes that the council tax hike was "needed" to plug the authority's funding gap.
Before the 10 per cent increase, Bradford is £145 below the national council tax average for metropolitan district councils, the lowest in West Yorkshire and is currently ranked 30th lowest out of 36 metropolitan councils nationally.
"The city council have had a big problem with money because of the 14 years of conservative rule reducing money to the to the city, which is not only Bradford, it's councils across the country," said Wendy.
"Bradford is not the only one. So I think it's it was needed."
The plans to increase council tax by 9.9 per cent were approved earlier this month at the Labour controlled council's annual budget meeting by a margin of six votes.
But before the debate began, West Yorkshire Police issued a dispersal order and removed a dozen demonstrators from City Hall who were shouting and chanting in the public gallery in objection to the tax hike.
More than 100 people had also gathered outside to protest.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “Councils have to set a legal budget. You won’t find one councillor in Bradford who really wanted to vote for a 9.99% increase in council tax but we were between a rock and hard place.
"After £350 million of cuts from the last Government over 14 years, our finances have been left at an all time low.
In Bradford, the Labour-run council submitted a bid to increase bills by 14.99 per cent in 2025-26. It was given consent for a 9.9 per cent hike - the highest rise in the country - meaning an average Band D household in Bradford will face an increase of £170
Getty
“Along with 30 other councils round the country we have been given permission to borrow money to keep council services running but this costs the council taxpayer money in debt repayments.
"We know that £2 or even £3 a week extra for some of our residents is a lot of money and for that reason we’ve also made sure there is a £1.2 million hardship fund in place to support those on the lowest incomes.
"The decision we made saves council taxpayers £111 million in debt repayments and was the right thing to do to prevent our children and grandchildren having to pay back more debt in the future.
“Bradford’s Council tax charge remains below average compared to the rest of West Yorkshire and to other metropolitan councils nationally.
"In 2024/25 it was the 30th lowest out of 36 Metropolitan Councils with a Band D that was £142 lower than the average of all Metropolitan Councils and it also has a low Council Tax base because over 80 per cent of the properties are below Band D.
"For example because Wokingham has a high Council Tax Base and (a higher Council Tax charge) it’s increase of 4.99 per cent raises almost as much as 9.99 per cent in Bradford, per household.”
In addition to the council tax rise, the authority has approved cuts worth £42m in the next financial year. It's debts are expected to reach £1bn by 2030, rising from less than £400m in 2021/22.
Last year, the authority was granted government permission to sell off more of its surplus land and buildings and borrow more in an effort to avoid effective bankruptcy and maintain essential services.
The council's borrowing has been prompted by a drop in government funding which it says has seen £350m cut from its budget since 2010/11.
Bradford is one of several English councils with debts exceeding or likely to exceed £1bn.
Birmingham City Council owes almost £3bn, and others such as Woking, Croydon and Spelthorne have similar debts.
