Rates charged by Belfast City Council will increase by just under six percent in the next financial year, an average weekly rise from between 39p for an apartment to more than £10 for an office site.
The council announced the increase late on Monday, while adding the rate might be revisited if any further funds are made available from the Executive to cover a rise in employer national insurance contributions.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, when announcing a rate increase of 3.98%, also linked national insurance contributions to the rise in rates.
Council chair Pete Byrne said: “This year the increase in Employer National Insurance contributions, which come into place from 1 April 2025, have been absorbed into the operating costs of the Council for 2025/26.
“These costs were not expected when forecasting costs last year but have had to be included after the fiscal changes made by the Labour Government in the Budget.”
For 2025/26, the domestic rate will be 0.4862p. For a property valued at £133,000, this would lead to an annual increase of £24.74 per year or £2.06 per month.
In Belfast, the 5.99% increase will mean an average annual £33.15 per year for a house, £540.14 for an office unit and £442.49 for retail.
Councillor Ryan Murphy, chair of the city council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, said: “While there has been an increase in rates again this year, all parties have worked to keep this year’s rise as low as possible, and the increase reflects the rise in national insurance contributions brought in by the UK Government.”
