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The Adult Social Care precept

This year, the government has allowed councils to increase Council Tax by up to 3%.

In addition, councils who are responsible for providing Adult Social Care can increase their Council Tax by a further 2%. This is known as the Adult Social Care precept.

Adult Social Care services support some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, particularly those in old age and adults with disabilities. Social care services also have a significant role to play in supporting the NHS to deliver vital services. In 2024/25 our net budget on Adult Social Care is £197 million (nearly 40% of our portfolio revenue budgets).

We are required to spend all Council Tax raised from the Adult Social Care Precept on Adult Social Care. This is checked annually by the government.

The government introduced legislation and guidance setting out how the Adult Social Care precept is calculated and shown on Council Tax bills. This has been followed when producing the Council Tax bills for 2024/25.

Percentage increases shown on your bill

The figures relating to general expenditure and the Adult Social Care precept are each accompanied by a percentage increase figure. The percentages show how each element contributes to the overall increase set by us.

The Buckinghamshire Council element is calculated on the combined total of the Buckinghamshire Council and Adult Social Care charges from last year's bill and is an increase of 2.99%. Government legislation requires us to show the percentage increase to one decimal point on the bill: it is therefore shown as an increase of 3.0%.

The percentage increase for the Adult Social Care element is calculated on the combined total of the Buckinghamshire Council and Adult Social Care charges from last year's bill and is an increase of 2%.

This means that while the total percentage increase for Buckinghamshire Council shown on the bill will be 5%, we can assure you that we have calculated the charge properly in accordance with regulations and guidance. We have been consistent with calculations used in previous years, and bills should be paid as requested.

For the purposes of calculating the Council Tax increase, a combined Buckinghamshire Council (basic charge + Adult Social Care charge) Band D Council Tax for 2023/24 of £1,754.43 is used in this example.

For 2024/25 this has increased by £52.51 (2.99%) for the basic Council Tax and £35.09 (2%) for the Adult Social Care charge, giving a total combined increase for Buckinghamshire Council of £87.60 (4.99%).

On your bill the Buckinghamshire Council element is required to be shown as a percentage of last year’s combined element, as follows:

Combined Council Band D charge 2023/24 £1,754.43
Buckinghamshire Council increase 2024/25 £52.51 – 3%

On the bill the Adult Social Care element is required to be shown as a percentage of the combined total of the Buckinghamshire Council and Adult Social Care charges from last year’s total bill, as follows:

Combined Band D charge 2023/24 £1,754.43
Adult Social Care increase 2024/25 £35.09 – 2%

This gives a total increase of:

Combined Band D charge 2023/24 £1,754.43
Buckinghamshire Council increase £52.51 – 3%
Adult Social Care increase £35.09 – 2%
Combined Band D charge 2024/25 £1,842.03, which is a change of 4.99% if you compare the Combined Band D charge 2023/24 against the Combined Band D charge for 2024/25.

We understand that this can lead to some confusion, but we have to comply with the law in the way we present Council Tax bills.

Contents

Texts and emails from us about late payments

The Adult Social Care precept

Percentage increases shown on your bill

Council Tax example for a Band D property