Stoke-on-Trent residents will have to pay at least £53.84 extra for council services next year, if new budget proposals are approved. Leaders at Stoke-on-Trent City Council are proposing a 4.99 per cent council tax increase in 2025/26, as part of their plan to set a balanced budget.
The increase – which is the maximum allowed without calling a referendum – will include a two per cent precept ringfenced for adult social care. For Band A households, who account for six in 10 Stoke-on-Trent properties, the increase will equate to an extra £53.84 a year – just over £1 extra a week. Band D households will pay an additional £80.75 a year.
In addition to the council tax hike, the city council is also proposing £7.5 million of cuts, and will be asking the government for another £16.8 million of ‘exceptional financial support’ – effectively using borrowed money to balance the budget.
Labour council leader Jane Ashworth defended the proposal to increase council tax by the maximum amount again, but put the blame on previous central government funding cuts.
She said: “Council funding comes in three dollops, and if one of those is reduced, you have to make up the difference somewhere else. If the revenue support grant is reduced, you either have to make cuts and efficiencies, or put council tax up. So when people say they’re paying more for less, there’s truth in it, because the central government funding for the city has historically not been adequate.
“Because we don’t have many homes in the higher council tax bands, if we put up council tax by one per cent, it brings in about £800,000 – other cities could get three times at amount. So we’re at a disadvantage right from the start.
“Had we put up council tax by just four per cent, and asked for the government to borrow more money, I very much doubt that we would have been able to negotiate that with central government. We have to make tough decisions, and this is one of them.”
But Conservative opposition group leader Dan Jellyman accused Labour of breaking a promise to keep council tax down. He said: “At the last election Labour were saying that if we had Labour in government and Labour running the council there wouldn’t be more council tax rises. So this is just another promise that they’ve broken.”
Here is what households in Stoke-on-Trent will be paying the council next year, if the budget proposals are agreed. The overall council tax bill will also include police and fire precepts, which have yet to be approved.
| Band | Proposed city council element 2025/26 | Annual increase |
| A | £1,132.67 | £53.84 |
| B | £1,321.44 | £62.81 |
| C | £1,510.22 | £71.77 |
| D | £1,699.00 | £80.75 |
| E | £2,076.56 | £98.69 |
| F | £2,454.11 | £116.64 |
| G | £2,831.67 | £134.59 |
| H | £3,398.00 | £161.50 |
A public consultation on the budget will run until February 10. Residents can have their say by visiting stoke.gov.uk/budget2025
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