The London borough of Wandsworth is officially the cheapest place in the UK for council tax. The borough has frozen council tax for the third year running, meaning a Band D household will pay only £990 for the 2024/25 financial year. While some homes in the west of the borough pay slightly more due to a levy from the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators, Wandsworth remains the most affordable overall. Council tax is a local tax that residents in the UK pay to their local council or local authority. A Wandsworth Borough Council representative said: “Residents will continue to pay the lowest council tax in the country, and we will continue to listen to you and deliver on your priorities.” Council leader Simon Hogg added: “We are freezing your council tax for the third year in a row. That means you will continue to pay the lowest council tax in the country. “Sound financial management is at the heart of everything we do. Wandsworth has one of the lowest levels of debt and some of the highest financial reserves in London, allowing us to freeze the main element of council tax and invest in what matters most to you – cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods and a stronger community. “Together, we’re making Wandsworth an even better place to live.” In the 2024/2025 tax year, the UK’s most expensive council tax bills are found in Rutland in the East Midlands, where Band D households will pay around £2,543 – though the amount varies by parish. Other areas with similarly high charges include Nottingham (£2,530), Dorset (£2,504), and Lewes (£2,503) per year. But how does Wandsworth compare to other parts of London — and how much are residents elsewhere paying? Nearly every London borough has increased council tax bills by the maximum amount allowed by the Government for the 2024/25 financial year. From April, 30 of the capital’s 33 boroughs have increased their share of council tax by 4.99 per cent — the highest rise allowed without triggering a local referendum. Only Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea opted not to apply the full increase. Kensington and Chelsea has instead introduced a slightly lower rise of four per cent. Newham — one of several boroughs facing serious financial difficulties — has received special permission from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to raise council tax by 8.99 per cent, far above the usual cap. Under Government spending rules, local authorities can only increase council tax by more than five per cent if they either secure ministerial approval or hold a referendum of residents. This year, 22 of London’s 33 boroughs will issue average Band D bills exceeding £2,000 annually — with seven boroughs passing that threshold for the first time. The boroughs crossing the £2,000 mark for the first time are: Barnet, Bromley, Ealing, Greenwich, Hounslow, Islington and Merton. Residents in Kingston and Croydon will again face the highest council tax bills in London in 2025, with average annual demands approaching £2,500. Kingston, run by the Liberal Democrats, remains the most expensive borough. The average Band D bill is rising from £2,374 to £2,488 — a 4.99 per cent increase. This includes a £95.01 rise in the council’s share and an additional £18.98 for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Croydon comes in second, with Band D bills increasing by £113.57, from £2,366.91 to £2,480.48. A Band A property will now pay £1,653.66, up £75.72, while the biggest jump is for Band H homes, where bills will rise by £227.14, from £4,733.82 to £4,960.96. Harrow, under Conservative control, has the third-highest average Band D bill, now set at £2,395. After Wandsworth, which we’ve already mentioned as having the lowest council tax in London and the country, the next cheapest is Westminster. Now also run by Labour, Westminster has an average Band D bill of just £1,019, making it the second lowest in the UK. The City of London Corporation, which operates independently of party politics, comes next with a Band D average of £1,274. Following closely is Hammersmith and Fulham, where residents pay £1,451 – the fourth cheapest in the country.