Why is my council tax rising and how is it spent?

Our council tax bills for the next 12 months are about to arrive through the letter box and throughout Kent they are going up by more than £100 compared with last year for an average home.

Almost every authority has gone for the highest rise it is allowed to make without having to ask for special permission from the government and consulting residents.

Some of Kent's council leaders say they believe there is now an "expectation" from the government that local authorities will go for the highest increase to help balance their budget and maintain services.

The government said it was "fixing the foundations of local government" and had given councils an additional £69bn for the next year.

Exactly how much you pay in council tax depends on where you live, how large your home is and how many people live there.

Kent County Council and Medway Council have raised bills by 4.99%. This is the maximum a council can increase your bill by without needing special permission from the government or a referendum.

Almost all boroughs and districts in Kent have made an increase of 2.99%.

This means for the average Band D property in Kent and Medway council tax bills will go up by over to £100-a-year from April.

Leaders of the authorities have said they were facing extremely difficult financial circumstances.

The majority of what we pay – around three-quarters – goes to Kent County Council.

Medway Council keep most of the money they collect in council tax. However they do contribute towards the policing and fire precept.

The authorities spend it on services like social care and education, transport, public health, libraries, major infrastructure planning and managing waste.

But our council tax payments only make up about a third of the county council budget.

The rest comes from government grants, business rates and other income such as rent and parking charges.

Leaders have said increasing demand and costs for social care is putting unprecedented pressure on their budgets.

Medway council for the second year in a row received exceptional financial support from central government, borrowing an extra £18m to help it balance budget requirements.

Leaders of councils responsible for social care say increasing demand and soaring costs make it the biggest pressure on their budget.

If you have a local borough or district council, almost 10% of your bill goes to them to help manage services such as housing and planning, collecting and recycling our rubbish and managing benefits and business rates.

If you have a parish council, about 3% goes to them. Parish councils represent community views and manage local facilities like allotments and recreation areas.

In Medway, the council is responsible for all local services but does have 11 parish councils around the Hoo peninsula and upper reaches of the river Medway.

Wherever you are in Kent about 11% of council tax goes on policing.

The precept, the amount they charge, is set by Kent's Police and Crime Commissioner, who determines the force's budget need.

This year an increase of 5.5% has added £14 onto the average annual bill.

The precept gives Kent Police just under £184m towards their annual budget needs.

Around 4.5% of our payment goes to fire and rescue services, which is just over £1.72 for the average band D property.

Your council tax bill can be paid in one lump sum or in monthly direct debit payments throughout the year.

There are a number of ways to pay which are listed in your bill.

It's a statutory tax which residents are legally obliged to pay under the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Residents living alone receive a 25% discount on their bill and those on the lowest incomes can get significant discounts of up to 100%.

If we don't pay we can be summoned to court with a maximum penalty of up to three months in prison.

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