Penrith residents are set to see and across the board increase in council tax from April as Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumbria Police, Cumbria Fire Service and Penrith Town Council all plan increases to there share of the council tax demand that will land through letterboxes of Penrith households in March.
With a Band D property in Penrith set to see a Council Tax bill of £2,540.73 from April 2026 subject to the outcome of current consultations by Westmorland and Furness Council and the Cumbria Police Fire and Crime Commission for their proposed increases to their portions of the council tax.
Penrith Town Council approved its increase in the precept on the council tax earlier this month with no public consultation on their budget or Council Tax precept required.
The council tax bill is made up with amounts in Penrith charged by four authorities that combine to form the total council tax bill paid by households each year.
Westmorland and Furness Council who send out the total bill to households is planning to increase the council’s share of council tax by 4.99% representing a total Band D charge of £2,014.73 by the council plus the precepts by other organisations that form the council tax.
An increase of the council tax precept charged by Cumbria Police is also proposed with an increase of 4.36% and an increase for Cumbria fire service precept of 2.98%
The proposed increase in the precept will see a total Police precept for a Band D of £338.94 and Fire Service precept at a Band D of £103.14,
Penrith Town Council approved the town council’s budget and set the town council precept for the next year with a 1% increase in the town council precept making a Band D precept in Penrith £83.92
The increase by Westmorland and Furness Council is to the maximum increase without requiring a referendum to be held on the increase. Both the police and fire precepts also have maximum levels before a referendum is required with the police maximum increase set at £15 and Fire £5 with both proposed increases set a few pence below the maximum limits.
The forecast 2026/27 council tax for Penrith will see Band D households billed:
Police: £338.94
Fire: £103.14
Westmorland and Furness: £2,014.73
Town Council: £83.92
Combined to give a total council tax for a Band D property in Penrith from April 2026 of £2,540.73 subject to final budget setting by Westmorland and Furness council, and Cumbria police and fire services.
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