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Guide to Camden’s Council Tax and Business Rates 2024/25

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Letter from the leader of the council

Dear Camden resident,

We are doing all we can to ensure that Camden is a place where everyone has the chance to succeed and no one gets left behind. Since 2010, the government has cut our core funding by 48% in real terms (adjusted for inflation) – equivalent to £831 per resident.

Because the government has cut core funding for over a decade, many councils across the country are struggling to balance their budget. But in Camden, we have a strong track record of managing our finances, investing in prevention, and making every pound count – so we are not in this position.

However, instead of giving us and all local councils enough funding every year, the government expects us to increase Council Tax to bring in much-needed money. We therefore need to raise council tax by 4.99% to ensure we can continue to provide you with vital services at the current level – such as street cleaning, libraries, youth clubs, and support for vulnerable children and adults. 

At a time when more people than ever are coming to us for support, we will continue to lobby the government to invest in local councils and vital public services.

Despite our limited resources, we will continue to help residents facing hard times and protect the services our community relies on:

  • Residents want clean streets, so on top of the £25 million we already invest in rubbish and recycling collections, and street cleaning, we will invest a further £1.04 million in street cleaning, including a new jet washer and night-time cleaning in our busiest areas so residents wake up to cleaner streets.
  • Investing in vital frontline services and protecting libraries, community safety, parks and green spaces, youth centres, family hub centres, community centres and support for elderly residents and our Ofsted-rated outstanding children’s services. 
  • For the third year in a row, we’re investing £2m in our Cost of Living Crisis Fund for residents who cannot afford the essentials. If you’re in this position, I urge you to register for our free Money Advice Service so we can help you access all the support you’re eligible for.
  • Investing in a £2.1m Family Crisis Fund to help ensure no child goes hungry – funding free breakfast clubs, and supermarket vouchers for low-income parents and carers to help with the cost of food during the holidays. 
  • Supporting our residents into secure housing. In the past year, our Community Investment Programme has finished building 87 new council and genuinely affordable homes. We are also buying properties to provide housing for those facing homelessness. There are now 143 homeless families living in these properties, allowing people to stay in the borough and saving money on expensive hotels. 
  • Taking action on the climate crisis: planting trees; installing new electric vehicle charging points; and supporting residents struggling with their energy bills, including in the private rented sector, to make their homes more energy efficient. 
  • Investing £31 million in our Council Tax Support scheme, reducing council tax bills for 22,000 residents. If you earn less than £105.19 per week you won’t pay anything – but you need to apply. Find out more at Council Tax Support.  

If you are worried about paying your Council Tax, please get in touch with us. Visit Council Tax Support or call 020 7974 4444. Lastly, I know that it continues to be a difficult time for so many Camden residents. If you or anyone you know is struggling, we’re here for you – please contact us. Find out more at Cost of living support
Many thanks,

Councillor Georgia Gould
Leader of Camden Council
 

Council Tax for Camden

In the next year we will spend £977.9 million on providing services. The money for this comes from funding from central government, our share of retained business rates, the Council Tax you pay and other sources of income such as rents and fees.

Your Council Tax also helps pay for the Greater London Authority (GLA). In 2024/25 people who will pay Council Tax in Camden will contribute £43.2 million towards the cost of GLA services. The GLA element of your bill is in additional amount charged as part of your annual Camden Council Tax bill. It does not factor in the maximum amount central government states Councils can increase Council Tax by without a referendum. Councils have no control over the GLA precept amount we must collect from you as part of your bill.   

The table below shows how much Camden's Council Tax charge is for each band this year. On the front of your Council Tax bill it will tell you which band your property is in. The band is based on the value of your property on a historic date (not the current value of your house). If you live in a garden square, you will pay slightly more to maintain the square. If your property has been empty for 2 or more years you will also attract an additional charge to pay. Please note that from 1 April 2025 this will reduce from 2 years to 1 year. 

Your bill will also tell you how much you must pay, the date each payment must be made by and how you can make your payments.

How much is your council tax?

Band

   
Amount of council tax
for Camden (£)

Amount of council tax for GLA (£)

Total council tax
2024/2025 (£)
A
        1,026.11
314.27
1,340.38
B
1,197.13
366.64
1,563.77
C
1,368.15
419.02
1,787.17
D
1,539.17
471.40
2,010.57
E
1,881.21
576.16
2,457.37
F
2,223.25
680.91
2,904.16
G
2,565.28
785.67
3,350.95
H
3,078.34
942.80
4,021.14

 

If you believe you might be entitled to an exemption or discount from paying Council Tax (including Council Tax Support if you are in a low income household) visit our discounts and exemptions page to see what exemptions and discounts may apply to you and details on how to apply for them. 

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Search for your council tax band

What we spend your council tax and business rates on

Each year, once we are aware of the amount of funding we will receive from the government, we set the level of Council Tax to meet the cost of providing council services in the borough.

This table tells you how much we plan to spend on services in the coming year and  how much we spent on them last year. 

Our services - Council agreed budget 

Spending 2023/24 

Total spending after deducting income 2023/24 

Spending 2024/25   

Total spending after deducting income 2024/25 

Adult social care 

163.451 

120.514 

183.382 

133.421 

Housing 

35.799 

21.495 

37.848 

22.792 

Waste and cleaning services 

41.973 

28.968 

40.462 

27.908 

Environment (parking, highways and transport) 

20.259 

-35.320 

22.259 

-36.073 

Regeneration, planning and economic development 

15.755 

-2.096 

15.078 

-2.573 

Culture, communities and customers 

24.761 

18.365 

27.380 

19.758 

Public health 

23.954 

22.253 

28.580 

24.916 

Support services 

68.343 

62.751 

76.947 

71.594 

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit 

137.353 

9.940 

137.681 

10.514 

Education 

215.476 

8.154 

224.448 

9.668 

Supporting vulnerable families 

46.735 

38.153 

51.241 

43.005 

Early years and young people 

38.815 

21.548 

42.458 

20.379 

Other spending 

79.254 

-46.559 

90.155 

-72.901 

Total cost of our services 

911.927 

269.165 

977.921 

272.407 

How we work out your council tax

The table below shows how we work out the amount to be met by Council Tax.

Your total bill includes an amount to cover the cost of Greater London Authority (GLA) services.

How we calculate your council tax 2024/25  
  £ in millions
Total cost of Camden services
272.407
Take away the following government grants paid towards the cost of local services:  
Revenue support grant -28.226
Retained Business Rates and Relief grants -122.175
Council Tax Collection Fund Deficit 2.138
Business Rates Collection Fund Deficit 16.986
Cost of Camden Council services which Council Tax will pay for:
141.131
Take away services covering only some areas of Camden (garden squares)
-0.027
Cost of remaining services which Council Tax will pay for
141.103
   
Working out the Council Tax level for 2024/25
           
Council tax base (weighted number of properties in Camden)
91.675
Council tax at band D
£1.539.17

Note: the formula to calculate Council Tax required (band D equivalent) is the remaining £141,103,000.00 needed from Council Tax divided by 91,675 which results in the £1,539.17 figure 

Changes in spending

Changes to spending on services 2024 to 2025 £ in millions
   
2023/2024 cost of services
293.601
                        
2024/25 Inflation                         9.523
2023/24 Service cuts, back office efficiencies and savings
-3.597
Other service adjustments
-27.120
   
Total 2023/24 cost of service
272.407

 

Understanding your business rates bill

Non-Domestic Rates

Non-Domestic Rates, or Business Rates, collected by local authorities are the way that those who occupy non-domestic property contribute towards the cost of local services. Under the business rates retention arrangements introduced from 1 April 2013, authorities keep a proportion of the business rates paid locally. This provides a direct financial incentive for authorities to work with local businesses to create a favourable local environment for growth since authorities will benefit from growth in business rates revenues. The money, together with revenue from council taxpayers, revenue support grant provided by the Government and certain other sums, is used to pay for the services provided by local authorities in your area. Further information about the business rates system, including transitional and other reliefs, may be obtained at gov.uk.

Rateable Value

Apart from properties that are exempt from business rates, each non-domestic property has a rateable value which is set by the valuation officers of the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an agency of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. They draw up and maintain a full list of all rateable values, available at gov.uk/government/organisations/valuation-office-agency. The rateable value of your property is shown on the front of your bill. This broadly represents the yearly rent the property could have been let for on the open market on a particular date. For the revaluation that comes into effect on 1 April 2023, this date was set as 1 April 2021.

The Valuation Officer may alter the value if circumstances change. The ratepayer (and certain others who have an interest in the property) can appeal against the value shown in the list if they believe it is wrong. Full details on your rights of appeal are available from the Valuation Office Agency. Your billing authority can only backdate any business rates rebate to the date from which any change to the list is to have effect.

Further information about the grounds on which appeals may be made and the process for doing so can be found on the gov.uk website or obtained from your local valuation office.

National Non-Domestic Rating Multiplier

The local authority works out the business rates bill for a property by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the appropriate nondomestic multiplier. There are two multipliers: the national non-domestic rating multiplier and the small business non-domestic rating multiplier. The Government sets the multipliers for each financial year, except in the City of London where special arrangements apply. Ratepayers who occupy a property with a rateable value which does not exceed £50,999 (and who are not entitled to certain other mandatory relief[s] or are liable for unoccupied property rates) will have their bills calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier, rather than the national non-domestic rating multiplier.

Business Rates Instalments

Payment of business rate bills is automatically set on a 10-monthly cycle. However, the Government has put in place regulations that allow businesses to require their local authority to enable payments to be made through twelve monthly instalments. If you wish to accept this offer, you should contact the local authority as soon as possible.

Revaluation 2023 and Transitional Relief Arrangements

The Transitional Relief scheme is designed to limit bill increases that have been caused by significant changes in rateable values, following a revaluation. You stop getting transitional relief when your bill reaches the full amount set by it.

The Government conducted a consultation on Transitional Relief (TR) arrangements and as a result, this removed the need for “revenue-neutral transitional arrangements.” The 2023 scheme will not fund upwards transitional relief (‘upwards caps’) by restricting falls in bills to raise revenue (‘downwards caps’).

This will make the business rates system fairer and more responsive. It will allow ratepayers whose properties see a fall in their rateable value to see the benefit of the revaluation reflected in their bills immediately. The government will Exchequer fund upwards caps for the 2023 TR scheme at a cost of £1.6 billion.

 Rateable Value

2023/24 

2024/25* 

2025/26* 

Small (Rateable value up to £28k in London) 

5%

10%

25% 

Medium (Rateable value up to £28k to £100k in London) 

15% 

25% 

40% 

Large (Rateable value greater than £100k)

30%

40%

55%

 

Upwards caps

*Year 2 and 3 caps are before inflation
If you are entitled to transitional relief this will be automatically awarded and be shown on the front of your bill.

Business Rate Reliefs

Depending on individual circumstances, a ratepayer may be eligible for a rate relief (i.e., a reduction in your business rates bill). There are a range of available reliefs. Further details are provided below and at gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates or at camden.gov.uk/businessrates

Temporary Reliefs

Some of the permanent reliefs are set out below but other temporary reliefs may be introduced by the Government at a fiscal event. Further detail on current temporary relief is available at gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates or at camden.gov.uk/businessrates

You should contact your local authority for details on the latest availability of business rates reliefs and advice on whether you may qualify.

Unoccupied Property Rating

Business Rates are generally payable in respect of unoccupied non-domestic property. However, they are generally not payable for the first three months that a property is empty. This is extended to six months in the case of certain industrial premises, whilst certain other properties such as vacant listed buildings are not liable for business rates until they are reoccupied. Full details on exemptions can be obtained from your local authority or from gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief.

Partly Occupied Property Relief

A ratepayer is liable for the full non-domestic rate whether a property is wholly occupied or only partly occupied. Where a property is partly occupied for a short time, the local authority has discretion in certain cases to award relief in respect of the unoccupied part. Full details can be obtained from the local authority.

Small Business Rate Relief

If a ratepayer’s sole or main property has a rateable value which does not exceed an amount set out in regulations, the ratepayer may receive a percentage reduction in their rates bill for this property of up to a maximum of 100%. The level of reduction will depend on the rateable value of the property – for example eligible properties below a specified lower threshold will receive 100% relief while eligible properties above the lower threshold and below a specified upper threshold may receive partial relief. The relevant thresholds for relief are set out in regulations and can be obtained from your local authority or at gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates.

Generally, this percentage reduction (relief) is only available to ratepayers who occupy either-

(a) one property, or

 (b) one main property and other additional properties providing those additional properties each have a rateable value which does not exceed the limit set in regulations.

The aggregate rateable value of all the properties mentioned in (b), must also not exceed an amount set in regulations. For those businesses that take on an additional property which would normally have meant the loss of small business rate relief, they will be allowed to keep that relief for a fixed additional period.

Full details on the relevant limits in relation to second properties and the current period for which a ratepayer may continue to receive relief after taking on an additional property can be obtained from your local authority or at gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates.

 Certain changes in circumstances will need to be notified to the local authority by the ratepayer who is in receipt of relief (other changes will be picked up by the local authority). The changes which should be notified are-

(a) the property falls vacant,

(b) the ratepayer taking up occupation of an additional property, and

(c) an increase in the rateable value of a property occupied by the ratepayer in an area other than the area of the local authority which granted the relief.

Charity and Community Amateur Sports Club Relief

Charities and registered Community Amateur Sports Clubs are entitled to 80% relief where the property is occupied by the charity or the club and is wholly or mainly used for the charitable purposes of the charity (or of that and other charities), or for the purposes of the club (or of that and other clubs). The local authority has discretion to give further relief on the remaining bill. Full details can be obtained from the local authority.

Business Rate Supplements

The Business Rate Supplements Act 2009 enables levying authorities – county councils, unitary district councils and, in London, the Greater London Authority – to levy a supplement on the business rate to support additional projects aimed at economic development of the area. This power has also been extended to the mayors of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Liverpool City Region, West of England, and West Midlands combined authorities. Business Rate Supplements (BRS) are not applicable to properties with a rateable value of £50,000 or below, and authorities have discretion to increase that threshold. The total maximum BRS which may be levied by a levying authority is 2p per pound of rateable value. Levying authorities have the power to apply such reliefs to the BRS as they think appropriate and in such cases must include an explanation of the rules for the application of those reliefs in the final prospectus for the BRS. The business rate supplement applicable in London is being levied by the Greater London Authority in relation to the Crossrail project, which delivered the Elizabeth line. The rateable value threshold in 2023-24 for the Crossrail BRS is £75,000. Further information may be found in the Crossrail BRS final prospectus which is available at london.gov.uk/crossrail-brs.

Rating Advisers

Ratepayers do not have to be represented in discussions about their rateable value or their rates bill. However, ratepayers who do wish to be represented should be aware that members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS - website rics.org) and the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV - website irrv.org.uk) are qualified and are regulated by rules of professional conduct designed to protect the public from misconduct. Before you employ a rating adviser, you should check that they have the necessary knowledge and expertise, as well as appropriate indemnity insurance. Take great care and, if necessary, seek further advice before entering into any contract.

Information Supplied with Demand Notices

Information relating to the relevant and previous financial years in regard to the gross expenditure of the local authority is available in the other sections on this page. A hard copy is available on request by writing to the council or at 020 7974 6460.

Subsidy Control

The new UK subsidy control regime commenced from 4 January 2023. The new regime enables public authorities, including devolved administrations and local authorities, to deliver subsidies that are tailored for local needs. Public authorities giving subsidies must comply with the UK’s international subsidy control commitments. The subsidy control legislation provides the framework for a new, UK-wide subsidy control regime. Further information about subsidy control can be found on the gov.uk website at: gov.uk/government/collections/subsidy-control-regime.

 

The Adult Social Care Precept

The Secretary of State made an offer to adult social care authorities. (“Adult social care authorities” are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, namely county councils in England, district councils for an area in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.)

The offer was the option of an adult social care authority being able to charge an additional “precept” on its council tax without holding a referendum, to assist the authority in meeting its expenditure on adult social care from the financial year 2016-17. It was originally made in respect of the financial years up to and including 2019-20. This offer has been extended in the financial years since, up to and including 2024-25 where an additional 2% increase has been applied to Council Tax bills. 

Paying your Council Tax or Business Rates

How to pay your Council Tax

How to pay your Business Rates 

Support with paying Council Tax

If you’re worried about paying your Council Tax, please get in touch with us on 020 7974 4444.

If you earn less than £591.75 per week, you may be eligible for a discount through our Council Tax Support scheme.

Council Tax Support

We have a number of other discounts and exemptions for eligible households such as those living on their own (single persons discount), students, disabled persons who have had certain permanent adaptations to their home and residents certified by their GP as suffering from severe mental impairment and receiving qualifying benefits from central government.  For more information on assistance you may be eligible for to reduce your Council Tax bill visit: 

Council Tax discounts and exemptions

Support with paying Business Rates

If you’re worried about paying your business rates, please contact the Business Rates team.

We also have a number of reliefs and exemptions you may be eligible for depending on the type of business (such as eligible retail, hospitality and leisure premises being eligible for relief of up to 75% off your bill) or the rateable value of your property (such as small business rates relief).   

If you feel your rateable value (set by a central government body which determines your annual charge and eligibility for some reliefs) is too high, you can appeal directly to the Valuation Office Agency

Details of the discounts and exemptions available and further information on your rateable value and how you can appeal this directly with the Valuation Office Agency (a separate independent central government body from Camden Council who set the rateable values for all commercial properties nationally)is available at: 

Discounts and exemptions for Business Rates  

Further support available

If you’re worried about money or accessing food, or need housing advice or mental health support, we are here to help.

Support for Camden residents

We are aware our business community also face struggles in the current cost of living crisis too. The following page details support available both direct from Camden Council as well as other useful help, advice and support available from external partners and organisations.  

Cost of living support for Camden businesses