STORY
The average parish and town council tax charge for a Band D property in England has doubled since 2013, according to research published by the Adam Smith Institute. The think tank found that the average parish precept increased by 8.2 per cent in 2026, which it described as the second largest annual increase on record.
The research found substantial differences between individual councils. The Band D precept in Radcliffe on Trent increased by 179 per cent to £312, while the charge in Alford rose by 64 per cent to £353.68. The Institute also reported that the parish tax charged in Preston Brook had increased sixfold since 2022. Unlike larger local authorities, parish and town councils are not subject to a statutory limit on annual precept increases.
The Adam Smith Institute has recommended introducing limits on increases, strengthening value for money checks and grouping some smaller parish councils to share administrative costs. Its research used Government precept data, responses to 300 Freedom of Information requests and an examination of accounts from 80 parish councils. The report acknowledged that its smaller sample of council spending should be regarded as illustrative rather than representative.