> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Stoke-on-Trent Council Backs 4.5% Rent Increase for 17,000 Tenants from April 2027 - URL: https://www.thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk/stoke-on-trent-council-backs-4-5-rent-increase/ - Published: 2026-11-09T08:45:33.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T08:45:33.000Z - Description: Council tenants in Stoke-on-Trent could see their rents rise by 4.5 per cent from April 2027, with the proposed increase set to go before full council for approval next month. - Author: The Staffordshire Signal Newsroom - Tags: Local News THE SIGNAL BRIEF What’s new: Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cabinet has backed a proposed 4.5 per cent rent increase for around 17,000 council tenants. By the numbers: Average weekly rent would rise to £93.62 from April 2027, with some properties facing an additional £1 weekly increase. What’s next: The proposal will go before full council in December for final approval. ![Local Democracy Reporting Service](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3b/48/3b482e3b-bd85-4cd0-bf5d-b4c28e10d60b/content/images/2026/09/ldrs-logo.png) This article is based on reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a BBC funded initiative set up to strengthen reporting on local democratic issues. [The Staffordshire Signal](https://www.thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk/) has taken part in the scheme since September 2026, which means we're able to draw on a selection of LDRS stories alongside our own. Council leaders have backed an ‘essential’ 4.5 per cent rent hike for 17,000 tenants in Stoke-on-Trent. Stoke-on-Trent City Council is proposing the rent increase in 2027/28 in line with government guidance. This states that council housing rents should rise no more than the inflation rate in September (3.5 per cent) plus 1 per cent. Properties charged below ‘formula rent’ will also see an additional £1 per week increase in line with national rent convergence. If the increases are approved at full council next month, council tenants in Stoke-on-Trent will pay an average rent of £93.62 per week from April. Cabinet members voted to support the rent increase at their meeting this week, saying it would allow the council to continue investing in its housing stock. Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for housing, said: “It is essential we follow the government’s formula to ensure delivery of the HRA 30-year business plan and take this opportunity to invest in our existing homes and properties, so that all tenants have a home that is safe, decent and well-maintained.” Cllr Walker added that the council still offers ‘some of the cheapest rents’ compared to the national average and other authorities in the West Midlands. Competition 2pairs to win ### Win tickets to see the *Mediaeval Baebes* at Stoke Minster 30th Anniversary Concert • Saturday 19 December Torchlit processions, ancient songs and voices that sound centuries old, all in one of the city's most atmospheric buildings. Entering is free. [Sign up to the newsletter to enter](https://www.thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk/#/portal/signup) **Already a subscriber? You're automatically entered.** Closes 11.59pm, Friday 20 November 2026\. [Full details and T&Cs](https://www.thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk/win-tickets-to-see-the-mediaeval-baebes/) Photo: Rob Kelly The latest available figures from 2024/25 show that the city council charged the third lowest rents among similar local authority providers in England. Stoke-on-Trent’s average rent was nearly £10 a week less than the West Midlands average, and £21 a week less than the England average. Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for regeneration, added: “It’s important to recognise that every pound of rent goes back into our homes, back into our estates, making them better. Dealing with issues such as damp and mould, getting them up to EPC standard C so they’re cheaper to heat, and building new homes that are lost through right-to-buy. “The alternative to this report is making cuts to services and improvements.” The council is also set to extend the financial independent fund in 2027/28, at a level of £30,000\. The fund allows discretionary payments to be made to tenants who are struggling to pay for essentials such as white goods. Written by Phil Corrigan, Local Democracy Reporter. ![The Staffordshire Signal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3b/48/3b482e3b-bd85-4cd0-bf5d-b4c28e10d60b/content/images/2026/04/Logo-website-PNG-close-crop-green-4.png) Why the Signal exists ## Real news takes time. Thanks for taking yours. You've just read a story that took time to get right. 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