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Council tax rises: London mayor's precept expected to top £400

Getty Images pigeon outside new city hallGetty Images
The GLA headquarters in east London was the world's first building to achieve the highest possible ratings of sustainable construction standards

The mayor's portion of council tax from the average London household will, for the first time, exceed £400 next year.

Earlier this week the government said it "would not oppose" an increase of £20 imposed by Sadiq Khan to fund Transport for London (TfL).

Mr Khan will also introduce climate budgeting setting out how bodies such as the fire brigade and police force can, by 2030, operate with carbon levels at net zero.

A final budget will be set in spring.

The precept is the mayor's part of the council tax, collected by London's boroughs and the Corporation of London.

It is estimated the increase will add about £30 to household bills, including the money earmarked for TfL.

GLA Sadiq Khan with policeGLA
The Met police force will receive an increase in funding via the the precept
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The precept pays for services provided by Greater London Authority (GLA) and its five functional bodies, together known as the GLA Group:

  • Transport for London
  • Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime - who oversee the work of the Metropolitan Police Service
  • London Fire Commissioner
  • London Legacy Development Corporation - who lead on the physical Olympic legacy
  • Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation
  • These budgets together form a consolidated budget
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GLA Sadiq Khan on TubeGLA
An extra £20 has been imposed to help fund TfL

Mr Khan's first draft of the budget for 2023/24 uses a working assumption that Band D bills will increase by £27.89 - a rise of 7%.

It is likely the Met police will get about an extra £5.50 per household per annum, and the London fire brigade about £2.30.

The allocation for climate budgeting will allow bodies to plan ahead, Mr Khan said.

The ambition is for police, fire and transport networks to run on electricity, the electrification of heating in police and fire stations and TfL's buildings, and the installation of solar panels across the GLA estate.

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