New council tax bill checker for people living in Preston, South Ribble and Chorley

County Hall in Preston. Pic: Blog Preston

The full council tax bills facing residents in Central Lancashire over the coming financial year have been calculated.

It means residents can now see the total amount they will have to pay, if they do not receive any form of discount support from their local authority.

The various bodies which make up the different elements of the council tax charge have each been setting their share – or precept, as it is officially known – in recent weeks.

In Central Lancashire, the majority of the money goes to Lancashire County Council, which – as the so-called top-tier authority – is responsible for major services like adult and children’s social care, public health and looking after the roads.

The district councils of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble take care of things like local parks, housing and collecting household rubbish. They also make most planning decisions and manage schemes supporting their communities.

All of the main councils covering Central Lancashire have this year increased their shares of the overall bill by the maximum amounts allowed by the government before they would have had to call a local referendum on the subject – that is 4.99 per cent for the county council, including two per cent which is ringfenced for social care, and 2.99 per cent for the districts.

The vast majority of councils nationwide have opted for maximum increases this year, with local authorities warning that their budgets are under severe pressure.

Complicating the picture further is the fact that some areas also have a parish council – tiny authorities that undertake local projects. Their increases are not capped.

Meanwhile, the police and fire service also get some of their funding from a share of council tax bills, as set by the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner and Lancashire Combined Fire Authority, respectively.

Council tax is based on property values and set into bands – the more valuable the property, the more you pay. However, the valuations on which the bands are based have not been updated since the charge was introduced in 1991.

For information on council tax support that may be available to people struggling with their bills, visit the website of your district council.

Here is how much residents across the Central Lancashire will be paying during 2024/25:

Preston

The total bills for each band are based on charges from and for Lancashire County Council (LCC), Preston City Council (PCC), Lancashire Police (LP) and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). The tallies exclude parish councils, meaning bills will be higher in parished areas.

BAND A – £1,570.19 (LCC – £1,102.19; PCC – £235.91; LP – £175.60; LFRS – £56.49)

BAND B – £1,831.89 (LCC – £1,285.89; PCC – £275.23; LP – £204.87; LFRS – £65.90)

BAND C – £2,095.59 (LCC – £1,469.59; PCC – £314.55; LP – £234.13; LFRS – £75.32)

BAND D – £2,355.29 (LCC – £1,653.29; PCC – £353.87; LP – £263.40; LFRS – £84.73)

BAND E – £2,878.69 (LCC – £2,020.69; PCC – £432.51; LP – £321.93; LFRS – £103.56)

BAND F – £3,402.10 (LCC – £2,388.09; PCC – £511.15; LP – £380.47; LFRS – £122.39)

BAND G – £3,925.48 (LCC – £2,755.48; PCC – £589.78; LP – £439.00; LFRS – £141.22)

BAND H – £4,710.58 (LCC – £3,306.58; PCC – £707.74; LP – £526.80; LFRS – £169.46)

Chorley

The total bills for each band are based on charges from and for Lancashire County Council (LCC), Chorley Council (CC), Lancashire Police (LP) and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). The tallies exclude parish councils, meaning bills will be higher in parished areas.

BAND A – £1,459.11 (LCC – £1,102.19; CC – £124.83; LP – £175.60; LFRS – £56.49)

BAND B – £1,702.30 (LCC – £1,285.89; CC – £145.64; LP – £204.87; LFRS – £65.90)

BAND C – £1,945.48 (LCC – £1,469.59; CC – £166.44; LP – £234.13; LFRS – £75.32)

BAND D – £2,188.67 (LCC – £1,653.29; CC – £187.25; LP – £263.40; LFRS – £84.73)

BAND E – £2,675.04 (LCC – £2,020.69; CC – £228.86; LP – £321.93; LFRS – £103.56)

BAND F – £3,161.41 (LCC – £2,388.09; CC – £270.47; LP – £380.47; LFRS – £122.39)

BAND G – £3,647.78 (LCC – £2,755.48; CC – £312.08; LP – £439.00; LFRS – £141.22)

BAND H – £4,377.34 (LCC – £3,306.58; CC – £374.50; LP – £526.80; LFRS – £169.46)

South Ribble

The total bills for each band are based on charges from and for Lancashire County Council (LCC), South Ribble Borough Council (SRBC), Lancashire Police (LP) and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). The tallies exclude parish councils, meaning bills will be higher in parished areas.

BAND A – £1,487.56 (LCC – £1,102.19; SRBC – £153.28; LP – £175.60; LFRS – £56.49)

BAND B – £1,735.48 (LCC – £1,285.89; SRBC – £178.82; LP – £204.87; LFRS – £65.90)

BAND C – £1,983.41 (LCC – £1,469.59; SRBC – £204.37; LP – £234.13; LFRS – £75.32)

BAND D – £2,231.33 (LCC – £1,653.29; SRBC – £229.91; LP – £263.40; LFRS – £84.73)

BAND E – £2,727.19 (LCC – £2,020.69; SRBC – £281.01; LP – £321.93; LFRS – £103.56)

BAND F – £3,223.04 (LCC – £2,388.09; SRBC – £332.10; LP – £380.47; LFRS – £122.39)

BAND G – £3,718.89 (LCC – £2,755.48; SRBC – £383.19; LP – £439.00; LFRS – £141.22)

BAND H – £4,462.67 (LCC – £3,306.58; SRBC – £459.83; LP – £526.80; LFRS – £169.46)

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