Council tax

• Councils welcome £13m financial package in Wales

  Local government leaders in Wales have welcomed the latest figures put forward by the Cardiff administration for next year's budgets – but warned there could still be further cuts to services or rises in council tax.

  

• Council signs £65m deal with Capita

  Westminster City Council has renewed its contract with Capita in a deal worth around £65m over a decade.

  

• Calls to increase council funding in Scotland by 2.5%

  Councils in Scotland are pressing for a 2.5% increase in local government funding, saying they have no options left to save money.

  

• Threat of prison over unpaid council tax ends in Wales

  People will no longer be sent to prison for failing to pay their council tax, the Welsh government has announced.

  

• Experts call for an end to imprisonment for council tax debt

  English councils are being urged to end the use of imprisonment for the non-payment of council tax.

  

• Healey unveils council tax levy on holiday homes

  Labour would double council tax on second homes to help families living in temporary accommodation, shadow housing secretary John Healey is expected to announce later today.

  

• Households owe £18.9bn on everyday bills

  Households owe nearly £19bn on essential bills such as council tax and utilities, Citizens Advice has warned today.

  

• Haringey to reform council tax support

  Haringey LBC could invest £1.6m in 2019/20 to allow some of its poorest residents to not pay council tax.

  

• MPs accuse councils of ‘overzealous’ debt collection

  The overzealous and uncompromising collection of debt by local councils is driving vulnerable people into further financial difficulty, MPs have warned today.

  

• Care leavers exempt from paying council tax in Manchester

  Manchester City Council has announced care leavers will be exempt from paying council tax until they are 25.