Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2026-27

Wednesday, 11 February 2026 · Division No. 428 · Commons

279Ayes

–

90Noes

Passed

277 MPs did not vote

centreGovernment wonPro Local Government Funding(Yes)Anti Council Tax Increase(No)Pro Central Control Of Local Finance(No)Pro Local Fiscal Autonomy(Yes)

Voting Yes means

Support the government's proposed council tax referendum thresholds for 2026-27, allowing councils to raise tax up to the set limits without a referendum

Voting No means

Oppose the proposed thresholds, likely arguing they are too high (permitting excessive council tax rises) or too low (restricting councils' ability to raise revenue)

What happened: On 11 February 2026, the House of Commons voted to approve the Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2026-27. This is an annual government document that sets the limits above which English councils must hold a local referendum before raising council tax. The motion passed by 279 votes to 90.

Why it matters: The approved thresholds determine how much councils across England can increase council tax without triggering a local referendum. Where a council wishes to raise bills beyond the set limit, it must put the question to local residents directly -- a requirement that acts as a check on the speed and scale of council tax rises. The vote therefore has a direct bearing on the finances of local authorities and the household bills of residents in England.

The politics: The vote divided sharply along party lines. Labour MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour, providing the government with its majority of 279. The Conservative opposition voted almost unanimously against -- 87 Noes to zero Ayes -- while three Reform UK MPs also voted No. The Conservatives and Reform UK opposed the referendum thresholds, arguing they are too restrictive on councils' financial flexibility, while the government presented the limits as necessary democratic safeguards for taxpayers. The vote fell on the same day as approval of the broader Local Government Finance Report (England) 2026-27, which passed by a narrower margin of 277 to 143, reflecting sustained Conservative resistance to the government's overall local government funding settlement.