Domesday Live

Council tax: how the rate has changed

Property and wealth. Council tax is set by each council, within limits set by the government. It replaced the community charge, known as the poll tax, in April 1993. The average Band D bill is the usual measure of how high it is, though most homes in England are in a lower band.

Worth knowing

• The community charge, a flat charge per adult, replaced domestic rates in Scotland in 1989 and in England and Wales in 1990. It was replaced by council tax in 1993.
• Councils must hold a local vote to raise the bill by more than a limit set by the government, and have been allowed an extra amount for adult social care since 2016.
• Council tax is a local tax, so the bills rise and fall through councils' choices as well as the government's limits. Scotland and Wales have their own systems.
• A high value council tax surcharge on English homes worth over £2 million is proposed for April 2028.