All councils in Northern Ireland have now confirmed a rise in rates bills for the upcoming financial year.
The highest percentage increase in 2023/24 is 7.99% within Belfast City Council while Antrim and Newtownabbey has once again set the lowest district rate of all the councils at 4.9%.
Elsewhere, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has agreed an increase of 5.43% while Causeway Coast and Glens announced an increase of 7.95% for householders.
Read more: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council announce rates rise for 2023
Ards and North Down agreed on a rise of 6.8% for domestic and non-domestic rates while Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon struck a hike of 5.96%.
Rates are a property tax paid by households and businesses in Northern Ireland. The overall rate residents pay is based on the district rate set by local councils. The regional rate is usually set by the Northern Ireland Assembly but in its absence, it is to be set by the Secretary of State.
Rates pay for public services such as health, education, justice and other regional services. The bills are calculated on the value of a property. The new rates will take effect from 1 April 2023.
Rates decisions by each council
Antrim and Newtownabbey
The council agreed to apply an increase of 4.9% to the district rates.
This equates to an overall increase of 2.19% or just under 40p per week for an average household below the rate of inflation 10.7%. The council said this reinforces its reputation and track record for the lowest rates increases with an average increase of less than 1.5% or £0.11 per week since the new local authority was formed in 2015.
Ards and North Down
The council have agreed an increase in the domestic and non-domestic rate of 6.8% - this means an increase of approximately £3 per month for the average household and £8 per month for the average business.
Like many people and organisations, the council says it is trying to manage unprecedented financial pressures due to increases in inflation, energy costs and interest rates and is facing increased costs of between £9-10m in the coming financial year.
According to the local authority, many options to drive expenditure down have been pursued and as a result, the rate increase is well below the level of inflation.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
ABC Council members say they have attempted to mitigate the sharpest cost-of-living rise in recent memory by striking one of the lowest domestic rate increase this year in Northern Ireland.
The increase of 5.96 percent means ratepayers will see an additional £2.04 per month on their bill.
The business rate increase meanwhile will amount to an increase of £30.50 per month.
Belfast
Belfast City Council recently agreed an increase in the district rate for 2023/24 of 7.99%, one of the largest in recent years. Last year the district rate rise was 2.9% and the year before it was 1.92%.
This will result in an average household paying an extra 63p per week, or £32.76 per annum.
Causeway Coast and Glens
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council voted in favour of a 7.95% increase. Businesses in the borough with a Net Annual Value (NAV) of £10,000 can expect to see their weekly rates bill increase by £2.43 while for householders, the equivalent figure is 79p (based on a house with the borough average capital value of £124,728).
Derry City and Strabane
Derry City and Strabane District Council has set a 7.97% increase for ratepayers for the incoming 2023/24 financial year. The increase will see an average rates bill increasing by £40.74 per annum or 78p per week.
On the basis that average property valuations are lower than in other areas, the council says the average ratepayer in Derry City and Strabane will continue to pay lower rates bills than average ratepayers in the majority of other districts.
Fermanagh and Omagh
Councillors in Fermanagh and Omagh have approved a domestic rates rise of 5.59%. Rates for business properties will increase by 7.45% for the upcoming financial year.
This increase is expected to add around £21 to the yearly bill of those whose property has a rateable value of £100,000 in the council area and 7.45% for businesses or an extra £169 per year or £14 per month more on properties with an average net annual value of £10,000.
FODC said the setting of the district rate will generate approximately £41.2million of rates income to support the delivery of council services across the district in 2023-2024.
Lisburn and Castlereagh
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has agreed to increase domestic rates by 7.49% in the next financial year in a move to keep any rise "below inflation". Members also unanimously agreed to strike a non-domestic rate of 5.23%.
The council is currently facing additional cost pressures of £7 million - driven by factors such as the unprecedented rise in the cost of utilities, waste services, materials and supply contracts as well as salary costs.
Representatives insist the increases for the incoming year have been kept well below the level of inflation.
It means the average household in the council area with a capital value of £145,000 will see an increase of 68p a week or £2.96 a month.
Mid and East Antrim
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has agreed a rates increase of 5.43% for households, with the average household set to see a weekly increase of 53p, or £27.35 per year, from April 1.
The council said that the low rate would still provide them with the necessary funds for planned major investment in the Borough and a continuation of frontline services.
Mid Ulster
Mid Ulster District Council has decided to increase the district rate its domestic ratepayers pay by more than 7% while some services such as local recycling centres will be cut.
The local authority agreed to Sinn Fein's proposal to increase the domestic rate by 7.3% and the non-domestic rate by 4.32% Council officers had initially recommended a rate rise of 8.9% before the Sinn Féin proposal.
This increase is expected to add around £32 to the yearly bill of those whose property has a rateable value of £125,000.
But despite the increase, residents in the area will still see a number of the services offered by the local authority reduced.
It will result in the closure of recycling centres in Castledawson, Coalisland, Draperstown, Fivemiletown and Moneymore, the introduction of car parking charges in Cookstown and the end of grass verge cutting amongst others.
Newry, Mourne and Down
Newry Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) has struck a rates increase of 5.99% despite a challenge to lower the percentage by using surplus finances.
The domestic rate for 2023/2024 will be 0.4395 pence and for a property valued at £133,000, this would lead to an annual increase of £33.05 per year or £2.75 per month. The non-domestic district rate for 2023/24 is 27.2846 pence.
Read more:
Belfast City Council set increased new district rates tariffs
Mid Ulster sees rate rise of more than 7% as services reduced
Newry Mourne and Down strikes 5.99% rates increase despite challenge
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