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Council Tax adult social care precept explained

The following information relates to the financial years 2016 (From 1 April 2016) until 2024 (until 31 March 2025).

The government has allowed councils that provide social care to adults to increase their share of council tax.

This additional council tax charge is called the adult social care precept.

This started in 2016 and it is a government requirement that this precept is shown as a separate line on the bill with an amount that is the total for this additional precept, rather than the total spend on adult social care.

The 3% increase shown on the bill is an increase on the whole Kent County Council (KCC) amount which results in a total KCC increase of 2.998% (or 3.0% when rounded to one decimal place).

The percentage increase is calculated by the total for KCC and the adult social care precept.

 
The percentage increase is calculated by the total for Kent County Council and the adult social care precept.

  • In 2024/23 the total precept is £1610.82 (£1,377.81 plus £233.01)
  • In 2023/24 the total precept is £1534.23 (£1,331.82 plus £202.41)
  • in 2022/23 the total precept was £1,461.24 (£1,287.99 plus £173.25)
  • in 2021/22 the total precept was £1,418.76 (£1,259.64 plus £159.12) 
  • in 2020/21 the total precept was £1,351.26 (£1,232.64 plus £118.62)
  • in 2019/20 the total precept was £1,299.42 (£1,206.72 plus £92.70)
  • in 2018/19 the total was £1,237.68 (£1,169.64 + £68.04)
  • in 2017/18 the total was £1,178.82 (£1,134.36 + £44.46)
  • in 2016/17 the total precept was £1,133.55 (£1,111.77 + £21.78)

The income generated from this charge is ring-fenced, meaning it can only be used for adult social care services. Kent County Council is the authority which provides adult social care services, and we collect this charge on their behalf.

More about adult social care (KCC website)

Statement concerning adult social care funding

The government has published a letter providing an update on regulations changing how the adult social care precept is presented on Council Tax bills. The Council Tax (Demand Notices and Prescribed Classes of Dwellings)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2025 removes the requirement for billing authorities to include bespoke information on the Adult Social Care precept on Council Tax bills from 2025 to 2026 (From 1 April 2025).