What your Council Tax pays for

Council Tax is the local tax which helps to pay for local services. Your Council Tax helps to pay for local services such as sport and leisure facilities, street lighting, youth centres, supporting the elderly and much more.

It also contributes to police, fire and rescue services, the disposal of household waste and public transport.

Find out how the council raises and spends Council Tax

How is Council Tax calculated?

Council Tax is made up of several charges:

  • a charge for Wirral Council services
  • an additional charge for Adult Social Care
  • a charge for the Liverpool City Region combined authority
  • a charge for Merseyside Police services
  • a charge for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority services

The table below gives a breakdown of these charges for each property band for 2023-24.

  Wirral Council Adult Social Care City Region Police Fire and Rescue  Total
A £1,041.52 £157.47 £12.67 £167.98 £59.07 £1,438.71
B £1,215.11 £183.71 £14.78 £195.98 £68.92 £1,678.50
C £1,388.69 £209.96 £16.89 £223.97 £78.76 £1,918.27
D £1,562.28 £236.20 £19.00 £251.97 £88.61 £2,158.06
E £1,909.45 £288.69 £23.22 £307.96 £108.30 £2,637.62
F £2,256.63 £341.18 £27.44 £363.96 £127.99 £3,117.20
G £2,603.80 £393.67 £31.67 £419.95 £147.68 £3,596.77
H £3,124.56 £472.40 £38.00 £503.94 £177.22 £4,316.12

Why has the charge for Wirral Council increased in 2023-24?

For 2023/24 the Council Tax charge for Wirral has increased by 5.1%. This is a combination of the increase on the charges for Wirral council services of 2.99% (rounded to 3%) and a 2% Wirral Adult Social Care charge. 

The total Council Tax charge for 2023/24 of 5.1% also includes:

  • a Liverpool City Region Mayoral precept, which is the same as 2022/23
  • a 6% increase for the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority
  • a 6% increase for the Merseyside Police and Fire Commissioner

Example of how 2023-24 Council Tax for a Band D property is calculated

2022-23  Wirral council services charge £1,511.06
2022-23  Adult Social Care charge £201.94
Total 2022-23 Wirral charge £1,713.00
Wirral 2.99% increase of total charge £51.22
Adult Social Care precept at 2% £34.26
Sum of 2023-24 Wirral Council and Adult Social Care £85.48
Total Wirral 2023-24 charge £1,798.48
Liverpool City Region precept £19.00
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner £251.97
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority £88.61
Total Annual Council Tax Charge 2022-23 £2,158.06

Adult Social Care precept information

In relation to the year beginning 2020, and any subsequent year, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has 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. If the Secretary of State chooses to renew this offer in respect of a particular financial year, this is subject to the approval of the House of Commons.

The government has extended this precept into 2023-24. 

How is the Adult Social Care precept calculated for 2023/24?

The Adult Social Care precept for 2023/24 has been increased by 2% of the total Council Tax charge made for Wirral Council services for the previous year (2022/23)

Example on a BAND D property:

  • The total Council Tax for Wirral Council services in 2022/23 was £1,713.00, and a 2% increase of this figure is £34.26
  • The Adult Social Care precept in 2022/23 was £201.94.
  • £201.94 + £34.26 = £,236.20 which is the total Adult Social Care precept in 2023/24

The Wirral charge for services is the Wirral Council Tax increase 2.99% (compared to previous year) and the Adult Social Care precept increase.

£1,562.28 + £236.20 = £1798.48 (Band D)

Total 2023/24 Annual Council Tax charge including ALL precepts for a BAND D property = £2,158.06 as shown in the table above.

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Council Tax 2023/24

Since 2016, the government has allowed the council to charge an additional amount of Council Tax each year to help cover the cost of Adult Social Care.

Adult social care services include helping people to live independently in their own homes or in residential care where necessary. Adults with physical and learning disabilities are also supported and funded by adult social care. Some people are required to contribute towards the cost of their care if they meet set criteria (for example, their level of savings and income), others need financial support from the council. This extra increase in Council Tax is called the adult social care precept and can only be used to fund adult social care.

For Wirral residents the Adult Social Care charge has increased by 2% of the total charge. 

The presentation of the Adult Social Care precept information on Council Tax Bills is prescribed in the ‘Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017’.  

Liverpool City Region Mayoral Precept

Your Council Tax will contribute to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority which is working to promote further jobs, inclusive growth and investment across the area.

Find out more how the council raises and spends Council Tax

Further information is also available on the Liverpool City Region website