Wandsworth Council is considering a 160 per cent increase in council tax bills from next April, which would add roughly £800 to the annual bill for a Band D home. The Conservative-run authority has been given special permission by the Labour government to introduce uncapped increases for 2026-27, making it potentially the biggest council tax rise ever seen in England.
What the increase means for residents
Wandsworth residents currently pay £1,020 a year for Band D council tax, split equally between the council and the Mayor of London. Under the plans, the council’s £510 share would surge by 160 per cent, while the Mayor’s portion stays unchanged. This would increase the total bill by approximately £800.
The move follows a 40 per cent cut in government funding to Wandsworth as part of a redistribution of receipts across England. The council says it is running a full spending review to identify savings, but warns there is a ceiling on what can be found.
Council blames Labour for financial crisis
Peter Graham, a Conservative councillor and cabinet member for finance, said: “Wandsworth’s financial crisis was made by Labour. The Government gave us the worst cash settlement in the country, slashing the council’s funding by 40pc. And locally, Labour managed to double the size of the hole, leaving a budget gap of £137m.”
He added: “That’s why we are running a full spending review to cut waste and find savings. It’s ongoing, but there will be a ceiling on what can be found. We will do everything we can to limit any tax increase, while protecting the core services that matter most to residents.”
Government defends flexibility and reform push
In July, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, complained that homes in his region were paying “much higher” council tax than those living in “much larger” London houses. He told the BBC: “The chancellor before, Rachel Reeves, was right to start to reform council tax to create some fairness there in relation to people in homes that are of much greater value, who haven’t seen their council tax go up over the years because of the failure to revalue the banding. That’s an example of something that I think was right and fair.”
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “Decisions on whether to increase council tax are ultimately for local authorities to make and justify but we continue to expect any decisions to put taxpayers first. The flexibility given to Wandsworth council is time limited and we’re making £278m available for them by 2028-29.”
The proposed increase would take effect from April 2026, with the council expected to make a final decision in the coming months after completing its spending review.
