What your Council Tax pays for
Herefordshire Council is funded by a combination of grants from government, local Council Tax, local business rates and charges for some council services.
Like many other councils across the country, Herefordshire Council has seen a reduction in the money it will be receiving from central government this year. This is at a time when there is an increasing demand for services as well as an increase in the cost of providing them.
The council has a gross expenditure budget of around £500 million which is used to deliver services to nearly 200,000 residents across rural villages and market towns. These services include maintenance of over 2,000 miles of roads, collection of over 89,000 residential bins, safeguarding around 1,000 children (including 400 in our care) and providing care and support to approximately 2,500 vulnerable adults.
Your Council Tax contributes £146.5 million to the money we have to spend. The remaining £353.5 million is funded by local business rates, government grants and charging for some services.
Among the services provided by the council, your Council Tax contributes to:
- Adult social care
- Planning
- Waste collection and disposal
- Children and young people's services
- Highway maintenance and transportation
- Cultural and community services
Where our money comes from - 2025/26 gross budget £500 million
Precepting authorities
Your Council Tax bill is made up of several different elements as Herefordshire Council also collects on behalf of other organisations. These organisations are known as 'precepting authorities' and include:
- West Mercia Police
- Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority
- Parish and town councils
We have a statutory duty to collect charges levied by these precepting authorities but we have no control over the level of increase or how these organisations choose to spend their budget.