Politics
Doncaster Social Care Precept Referendum: Council Tax Bills to Adjust from April 2027
Doncaster households will face possible annual council tax changes starting in the 2027-28 financial year if voters approve the proposed adult social care precept in the September ballot.
How we reported this
The Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council will hold a referendum on 10 September 2026 asking residents whether to introduce a 2% adult social care precept on council tax bills. The measure would apply to all Band A to H properties across the borough and generate dedicated funding for home care, residential placements and support for older residents.
Rising demand for adult social care services has prompted the ballot at this point. Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council budget papers for 2026-27 record that the service already consumes 35% of the authority's net expenditure, or £142 million, amid a 7% increase in the number of residents aged over 85 since 2021.
Effects on Household Bills
Most Doncaster residents would notice the change first in their April 2027 council tax statements. A Band C property currently paying £1,650 a year would see an extra £33 added to the annual bill under the proposed precept, with the money ring-fenced for social care rather than general council spending. Local advocates note that the funds are projected to support an additional 1,200 hours of domiciliary care each week across the borough's 20 wards.
Payment schedules would remain monthly or by direct debit as at present. The legislation states that any precept revenue must be reported separately in the council's annual accounts, allowing residents to track spending through published quarterly updates on the council website.
Voting and Implementation Timeline
Postal vote applications open on 1 August 2026 and close on 2 September. Polling stations will operate from 7am to 10pm on referendum day in the same locations used for local elections. Results are expected by 11 September, after which the council must confirm the precept rate by 31 January 2027 to meet billing deadlines.
If approved, the first instalments collected under the new rate would reach council accounts in May 2027. Policy analysts say the earliest visible service expansion, such as additional care packages, would begin in the second half of 2027 once recruitment and contract adjustments are complete.