Do Hartlepool residents pay among the highest council tax rates in the UK?

The town has the sixth highest bill in the UK for people who live in a mid-range Band D property at £2,092, compared to the UK average of £1,818.

Properties fall into one of eight bands from A being for the lowest values to H at the most expensive end of the scale.

But the vast majority of Hartlepool homes – 85% – fall in the three cheapest bands of A-C.

Rutland, the UK’s smallest county and home to just 40,000 people, pays the highest overall for a band D property at £2,125.

And the lowest Band D area is Westminster in London at £782 a year.

The research was carried out by estate agents Coulters Property to highlight large variations across the country.

A Hartlepool Borough Council spokesperson said: “It is very important to note that the majority of Hartlepool residents, 85%, live in properties that are in Council Tax bands A-C.

“Also, the figures quoted relate to levels of Council Tax levied not just by councils, but by fire and police authorities and parish councils too.

“Like many northern local authorities, Hartlepool has a low Council Tax base – reflecting relative property values.

"In practice, this means that we have historically been more reliant on Government funding, which has been significantly cut in recent years.

"This, coupled with the Adult Social Care levy introduced by the Government, means that increases have been necessary to prevent further cuts in services.”

Council tax in Hartlepool rose by 3.8% this year (2020-21) which includes 2% to help for social care costs.

Band A and Band B properties in the town make up 61% of households paying full council tax.

The spokesman added: "For councils in more affluent areas with higher Council Tax bases, such increases may have been less necessary.

"The fact that the four lowest Council Tax areas are affluent London Boroughs highlights this point and we continue to call for a fairer funding regime.”

Hartlepool Borough Council has agreed to keep its local council tax support scheme (LCTS) at 12% for 2021/22 meaning financially-disadvantaged working-age households will continue to only have to make a minimum 12% contribution towards their bills.

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