Council tax in Preston, South Ribble and Chorley: Where it goes, how much it costs and how it works for 2025/26

County Hall in Preston. Pic: Blog Preston

With the new council tax year having started this week, residents across Central Lancashire are facing the maximum permitted hikes in their bills across all the main local authorities that charge them for services.

The various bodies that make up the different elements of the council tax charge – which include the police and fire service – have each been setting their shares over the past month.

The majority of the money that the region’s householders hand over goes to Lancashire County Council, which – as the so-called ‘top-tier’ authority – is responsible for major services including adult and children’s social care, highways, schools and public health.

The district councils of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble deal with – amongst other things – the majority of planning applications, maintaining parks, environmental health and domestic rubbish collections within their own areas. They also support regeneration and initiate and manage schemes to support 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 or get special permission from ministers – that is 4.99 percent for the county council, including two percent which is ringfenced for social care, and 2.99 percent for the districts.

The vast majority of councils nationwide have opted for maximum increases this year, with several having been allowed to hike bills by more than the usual ceiling.

In Central Lancashire, many areas also have a parish council – the smallest authorities, which undertake hyper-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.

Details of council tax support that may be available to people struggling with their bill are available on the websites of individual district councils.

Here is how much residents across the Central Lancashire will be paying during 2025/26.

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 – £1,644.91 (LCC – £1,157.19; PCC – £242.97; LP – £184.93; LFRS – £59.82)

BAND B – £1,919.07 (LCC – £1,350.06; PCC – £283.46; LP – £215.76; LFRS – £69.79)

BAND C – £2,193.22 (LCC – £1,542.92; PCC – £323.96; LP – £246.58; LFRS – £79.76)

BAND D – £2,467.37 (LCC – £1,735.79; PCC – £364.45; LP – £277.40; LFRS – £89.73)

BAND E – £3,015.67 (LCC – £2,121.52; PCC – £445.44; LP – £339.04; LFRS – £109.67)

BAND F – £3,563.98 (LCC – £2,507.25; PCC – £526.43; LP – £400.69; LFRS – £129.61)

BAND G – £4,112.28 (LCC – £2,892.98; PCC – £607.42; LP – £462.33; LFRS – £149.55)

BAND H – £4,934.74 (LCC – £3,471.58; PCC – £728.90; LP – £554.80; LFRS – £179.46)

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 – £1,559.80 (LCC – £1,157.19; SRBC – £157.86; LP – £184.93; LFRS – £59.82)

BAND B – £1,819.78 (LCC – £1,350.06; SRBC – £184.17; LP – £215.76; LFRS – £69.79)

BAND C – £2,079.73 (LCC – £1,542.92; SRBC – £210.47; LP – £246.58; LFRS – £79.76)

BAND D – £2,339.70 (LCC – £1,735.79; SRBC – £236.78; LP – £277.40; LFRS – £89.73)

BAND E – £2,859.63 (LCC – £2,121.52; SRBC – £289.40; LP – £339.04; LFRS – £109.67)

BAND F – £3,379.57 (LCC – £2,507.25; SRBC – £342.02; LP – £400.69; LFRS – £129.61)

BAND G – £3,899.50 (LCC – £2,892.98; SRBC – £394.64; LP – £462.33; LFRS – £149.55)

BAND H – £4,479.41 (LCC – £3,471.58; SRBC – £473.57; LP – £554.80; LFRS – £179.46)

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 and ‘special expenses’ in some places, meaning bills will be higher in parished areas.

BAND A – £1,530.51 (LCC – £1,157.19; CC – £128.57; LP – £184.93; LFRS – £59.82)

BAND B – £1,785.60 (LCC – £1,350.06; CC – £149.99; LP – £215.76; LFRS – £69.79)

BAND C – £2,040.68 (LCC – £1,542.92; CC – £171.42; LP – £246.58; LFRS – £79.76)

BAND D – £2,295.77 (LCC – £1,735.79; CC – £192.85; LP – £277.40; LFRS – £89.73)

BAND E – £2,805.94 (LCC – £2,121.52; CC – £235.71; LP – £339.04; LFRS – £109.67)

BAND F – £3,316.11 (LCC – £2,507.25; CC – £278.56; LP – £400.69; LFRS – £129.61)

BAND G – £3,826.28 (LCC – £2,892.98; CC – £321.42; LP – £462.33; LFRS – £149.55)

BAND H – £4,591.54 (LCC – £3,471.58; CC – £385.70; LP – £554.80; LFRS – £179.46)

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