Today

Council tax in England is to rise by an average of 3.9 per cent this year, a survey has found.

This is the lowest rise for 14 years, according to public accountancy institute Cipfa, which carried out the survey for BBC Radio 4's Today programme and the Times newspaper.

The figures suggest average bills for a Band D property will go up by £52 a year to £1,370.

The news was welcomed by the government, which said earlier this year that it wanted council tax rises to be below the 5 per cent mark.

Residents in Wakefield, Derby, Leicester and Slough face the largest increases this year at 5 per cent.

Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "Nobody likes paying more council tax but this year town halls are making enormous efforts to keep bills down.

"It is a testament to the determination of councils that the average rise is likely to be close to the rate of inflation."

However, the Isitfair campaign group says the rise is still far too much for the nation's hard-pressed pensioners.

The group, which wants the council tax replaced by one based on the ability to pay, says elderly people will be hit hard as it comes on top of big rises in heating and food costs.