38 councils to double council tax on second homes
Up to 12,300 second-home owners face a 100% council tax surcharge as 38 more English councils activate new powers from April. See the full list of affected areas.
Up to 12,300 second-home owners face a 100% council tax surcharge as 38 more English councils activate new powers from April. See the full list of affected areas.
Birmingham City Council confirms revised bin collection dates over Christmas and New Year 2026. Residents warned NOT to put blue-lid recycling bins out due to ongoing strike action. Check your new dates here.
Birmingham City Council confirms a major waste service overhaul for 2026, including fortnightly rubbish collections and new weekly food waste pickups. Learn the timeline and what it means for you.
Up to 400,000 UK homes may be in the wrong council tax band due to flawed 1991 valuations. Check your band now and challenge it to potentially claim thousands in backdated refunds.
Solihull Council outlines three key options for residents to responsibly dispose of real Christmas trees after the festive season, including garden waste collections and a recycling centre.
Birmingham Hospice's Treecycling scheme offers an eco-friendly way to dispose of your real Christmas tree in January. Register your tree for collection, make a donation, and support vital end-of-life care services.
Birmingham City Council releases revised 2025 festive waste collection schedule. Check your dates online as recycling remains suspended due to industrial action.
As Birmingham's 2025 bin strike dragged on, mobile waste centres were swamped. We revisit the chaos, fly-tipping and the community efforts that followed. Read the full story.
UK households risk £80 fines for bin collection errors over Christmas. Learn the festive schedule changes, how to avoid penalties, and protect your property value.
Dean Valley Primary School pupils ran a festive Jingle Bell Jog to raise money for East Cheshire Hospice. The school community rallies around the vital local charity as it prepares for its annual Christmas tree collection.
Nightingale House Hospice's annual Christmas Tree Collection returns from 9-13 Jan 2026. Book a pickup for your real tree in selected CH, LL & SY postcodes. Your donation funds vital palliative care.
Dougie Mac hospice urges Stoke-on-Trent residents to register Christmas trees for eco-friendly collection on Jan 9 & 12. Your donation funds vital patient care. Sign up now!
Tax expert Mike Warburton issues a stark warning over HMRC's plan to collect self-assessment liabilities in-year via PAYE from April 2029. Read the details and potential impact.
Major bin collection changes are coming in 2026, requiring households to sort waste into four separate containers. Learn the new rules to avoid fines.
UK households will need four bins from 2026 under new government rules for recycling and food waste. Learn how the changes will affect you.
Future Birmingham council leaders elected in 2026 will lack full autonomy, bound by a government-imposed action plan to ensure financial stability. Discover the binding roadmap for recovery.
Major changes to bin collections across the UK start this week due to Christmas holidays. Residents must check revised schedules to avoid service disruptions and potential fines.
Government commissioners will oversee Birmingham City Council after the 2026 elections, restricting new leaders' autonomy with a strict action plan. Discover the roadmap for recovery.
Birmingham City Council announces Christmas bin collection changes for 2025. Find new dates for Christmas and Boxing Day pickups, plus rules for tree recycling and extra waste.
Birmingham City Council confirms revised bin collection dates over Christmas and New Year. Check the new schedule and find out when to put your bins out.
Walsall Council announces revised bin collection dates for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Find out your new collection day and rules for extra waste.
Four festive Pomeranians surprised Santa at an Asda in Rhyl, boosting the Rotary Club's Christmas charity appeal for the NSPCC and St Kentigerns. Join the festive fun!
The government confirms new Simpler Recycling rules for England, introducing a standardised four-bin system from 2026 to end collection confusion. Find out what changes for your household.
Walsall's new £32 million Household Waste Recycling Centre, dubbed the 'biggest in Europe', will open in late January. Get the latest on the state-of-the-art Aldridge facility.
Government commissioners overseeing Birmingham City Council have demanded an urgent action plan to resolve the long-running bin strike, warning the council cannot 'just sit and hope'.
Francis House Children's Hospice teams up with Just Helping for a January 2026 Christmas tree collection across Greater Manchester. Register now for an eco-friendly pick-up in return for a donation.
Birmingham City Council announces longer hours at all five household recycling centres from December 21 to January 31. Plan your visit and book online.
Three Wolverhampton residents have been ordered to pay a total of £7,316 for fly-tipping offences after failing to cooperate with a council investigation. Read the full story.
Households are warned that altered bin collection schedules over Christmas could lead to £80 fines for pavement obstructions. Experts advise planning ahead to avoid penalties and pest problems.
Shropshire Council warns residents after a fire extinguisher exploded in a bin lorry in Shifnal, putting crew at risk. Learn how to dispose of hazardous waste safely.