Labour-run Westminster City Council will freeze the main Westminster element of Council Tax for 2026/27 to help local residents deal with cost of living pressures. The adult social care precept that funds care for the elderly and disabled will see a below-inflation rise of just two percent, meaning the Westminster share of the bill that Band D payers receive will increase by just 20p a week.
Thanks to the Labour Council’s strong financial management, efficiency and an innovative transformation programme changing the way Westminster works the Council will simultaneously be able to deliver an ambitious multi-million investment in new affordable homes, high streets, and funding community schemes, whilst maintaining the second lowest Council Tax in the country. It does not have any plans to raise council tax above normal levels in future.
Cllr Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, said: “Like a number of other local authorities, Westminster City Council is facing significant financial pressures.
However thanks to strong financial management, reinventing the way the Council works and our track record of delivering outstanding services that are value for money, we can keep on target with a string of major investments to make life better for residents.
Keeping council tax low is just one way we are helping local people with rising bills and the cost-of-living crisis. This Budget represents our ongoing commitment to build a fairer Westminster.
“At the same time, we are lobbying hard to ensure Westminster gets its fair share of the revenue from the Government’s proposed overnight levy. Millions of visitors come to our City every year, and it is right that – like other world capitals – we ask for a modest nightly fee to pay for the services they use while here. That money can then be spent locally to benefit local people and businesses.”