Hammersmith and Fulham council in London has warned it may raise council tax by 150 percent to maintain current services after central government cuts under a new funding settlement, according to a report due for publication Monday.
The Labour-run authority described the situation as the "biggest financial challenge in living memory." A 150 percent rise would cost Band D households an additional 29.11 pounds per week in 2027/28, the council's cabinet concluded.
The warning comes as English local authorities face reduced central government funding. Hammersmith and Fulham, a flagship Labour council, said the scale of the reduction left it with few options to balance budgets without either cutting services dramatically or raising resident bills substantially.
The council has not yet confirmed whether it will implement the full 150 percent increase, only that it may do so. The cabinet report will be published Monday and will likely set out other options being considered.