Blackburn with Darwen residents set for 4.99% council tax rise

Blackburn with Darwen residents will see their council tax for borough services rise by the maximum 4.99 per cent permitted without a referendum from April 1.

The authority’s Finance Council voted for the increase for 2026/27 when it met on this week.

It is made up of 2.99 per cent for the main council services and two per cent for the additional ‘precept’ to pay for adult social care.

On top of Blackburn with Darwen’s charge are the council tax levies for the police (which will increase by £15) and Lancashire’s fire and rescue services (due to rise by £5).

The vast majority of households in Blackburn with Darwen are terraced homes in Bands A and B.

In 2026/27, the total council tax (including police and fire) will be £1,633.39 for a Band A property and £1,905.62 for a Band B property.

The 4.99 per cent increase equates to around £1.26 per week for Band A households and around £1.47 per week for Band B households.

For a Band D property (a typical semi-detached family home) in areas without a parish council, the total council tax for 2026/27 will be £2,450.09 per year. This represents £47.12 per week.

There are also additional small precepts for houses the borough’s six parishes and Darwen Town Council.

The rise proposed by the authority’s ruling Labour group was approved despite opposition 4BwD leader Cllr Mustafe Desai suggesting it should follow Hyndburn Council’s lead in using a use a government grant following the ministerial U-turn on plans to cancel this year’s local elections in the borough.

Finance boss Cllr Vicky McGurk told him: “That money hasn’t actually been distributed. Even if we did have it it’s to offset officers doing elections when they should be reorganising. That’s what it’s there to pay for.”

She also announced that the authority was introducing one free bulky waste collection per household to ‘reduce fly tipping and keep the streets tidy’.

Cllr McGurk told the meeting: “We are proposing to increase council tax by 2.99 per cent.

“We do so reluctantly and I should be clear, as I was last year; this is not about the funding we have received in this year’s settlement, which goes further than any government has over recent years in creating fairer funding across the local government, but is about the years of funding we did not receive under the previous government.

“Overall, this change in council tax will mean the majority of residents – those living in a Band A property – will pay 76p extra a week for our services next year.

“And to protect our services for adults, we have in my view little choice but to increase the adult social care precept by two per cent.

“We all know that we have some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we must do all we can to make sure we provide the services they need to live fulfilling lives.”

Cllr Desai said after the meeting: “This decision wasn’t taken lightly, but we must ensure our council can continue delivering essential services like social care, waste collection, and road maintenance.

“While no one wants to see council tax go up, I believe this is a sensible approach to protect essential services. It’s a responsible decision balancing local service needs with household pressures.”