Households are set to face a staggering council tax rise as part of Labour’s new policing plan, with households facing increases of up to £14 per person next year
UK households are bracing for a shocking council tax hike – WITHOUT the need for a referendum – under the Labour Party government. Household bills are set to rise by £329.8 million as part of Labour’s new policing plan, with households facing increases of up to £14 each.
This move is part of an effort to boost police funding by 3.5%t. Police and crime commissioners will have the power to raise their portion of council tax by up to £14 without requiring a referendum, it was revealed today (Tuesday December 17).
The £986.9million police funding settlement includes £657million in increased Government grants, confirmed Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson. £230.3million will cover increased employer National Insurance contributions from 2025-26.
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An additional £339million will be allocated to core grants to support the Government’s safer streets mission. A further £100million has been earmarked to launch the first phase of recruiting 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood roles.
The total policing settlement for 2025-26 will amount to £17.4billion, representing an increase of up to £986.9million on the current year. The funding aims to ensure police forces are “fully equipped to deliver our safer streets mission,” according to Dame Diana, reports Birmingham Live.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson stated the funding arrangement is a perfect sweet spot, noting it “strikes the balance between protecting taxpayers and providing funding for police forces”. Top cop Yvette Cooper chimed in with praise, lauding the cash influx as key to propelling the government’s Safer Streets drive.
“This vital funding boost will enable forces to kickstart the recruitment of neighbourhood police officers and crack down on the crimes blighting our high streets and town centres,” she said. Cooper doubled down on accountability: every dime dished out to the forces should work overtime for the public.
Meanwhile, police bigwig Andy Cooke lambasted the current finance formula as ancient history that leaves inner-city squads strapped for cash. “The richer police forces get richer, the poorer police forces get poorer,” he quipped.
Top brass Paul Sanford from NPCC finance front warned starkly of looming cuts across divisions under this deal. “Crime is evolving at a rapid pace and becoming more and more complex in nature,” he asserted.
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