HOUSEHOLDERS across Suffolk are facing an increase in council tax of 3.7 per cent, following an announcement by county chiefs today.The increase, which will come into effect for the financial year beginning in April, is below the expected average increase across the UK of four per cent.

HOUSEHOLDERS across Suffolk are facing an increase in council tax of 3.7 per cent, following an announcement by county chiefs today.

The increase, which will come into effect for the financial year beginning in April, is below the expected average increase across the UK of four per cent.

The 3.7 pc rise would see the county element of council tax bills for a band B home - the most numerous in Ipswich - increase by about £42 a year.

A band D home, the average dwelling according to the government, will increase by about £54.

Borough or district, police authority and, in rural areas, parish council elements of the tax also have to be added to the bill.

These figures are likely to be announced over the next month.

Today's announcement comes on the back of government funding for Suffolk being increased by about £10million this year with county coffers set to get £155million from the annual settlement.

Last year households in Ipswich were asked to pay about 4pc extra due to a county council increase of 4.5pc and a borough council increase of marginally under 3pc.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said the average increase across the UK expected to be four per cent, which is based on more than a hundred draft budgets published by councils.

But it warned that inadequate government funding was forcing many councils to make massive efforts to keep council tax rises below 5pc.

It added that funding problems were likely to deepen during the following two years due to lower anticipated increases in the Government grant from 2009 to 2011.

Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the LGA, 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.

"Keeping council tax down has been made harder by several government departments shifting extra costs onto councils whilst limiting funding from central government to a real terms 1pc increase.

"Council tax would have been a lot lower with a more realistic central government grant. The toughest financial settlement in a decade has left councils with difficult decisions to make locally."