Your Council Tax bill explained

From 2016-17 onwards, central government gave local authorities (with responsibility for providing Adult Social Care services) the flexibility to increase council tax by an additional element, to reflect the increasing pressure on Adult Social Care brought about by people living longer. This additional element is known as the Adult Social Care precept. This recognised the increasing cost pressures upon councils in relation to provision of adult social care.

Cumberland Council set a total council tax increase of 4.99% for 2024-2025. The Adult Social Care precept has been increased by 2% as part of that overall increase. This precept is shown as a separate line on your bill. 

Both parts are calculated the same way i.e., the percentage change multiplied by the total council tax amount for the previous year.

Example - band D property

The percentage increases shown on the bill reflects the change from the total council tax amount for the previous year, as shown in the calculation above, rather than the Adult Social Care element from the previous year. This can be confusing, but the Council is required by legislation to display the figures on the bill in this way.

* This is a notional amount and may differ from that shown on your bill for 2023/24. The figures have been adjusted due to the creation of the Charter Trustees of the City of Carlisle. This has reduced the Cumberland Council element of a band D bill by 39p a year with relative reductions on other bands.

The band D property increase for Adult Social Care precept for 2024-2025 is calculated as 2% of the 2023/24 notional amount for Cumberland Council i.e. the Total Band D amount of £1,730.45.

How does this affect your bill?

We must show the actual percentage change on your bill. The calculation of the percentage change is prescribed in regulations. We are required to show how each element of Cumberland Council’s charge contributes to the overall increase.