THREE areas of Gwent have the most affordable council tax rates in the country.

Caerphilly, Newport and Torfaen have all been found to be at the top of the table when it comes to council tax savings.

Council tax in Caerphilly is 4.3 per cent of a resident's average annual pay, the lowest number in Wales.

While the average council tax bill of £1,372 in Newport means residents spend the second lowest amount of their annual salary on the bill - 5.06 per cent.

In third place is Torfaen, with an average council tax bill accounting for 5.1 per cent of an average salary in the area.

While it may sound like good news, across the UK the picture doesn't look as good.

Though the three authority areas pay the lowest percentage of their wage in Wales, Wales itself is the most expensive area of the UK.

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The national average payment for council tax across Wales was £1,544 per dwelling, with the average salary at £26,805 – resulting in Welsh residents paying an average of 5.76 percent of their average annual pay – the highest average proportion across all of Great Britain.

And it's particularly bad for residents in Monmouthshire who are in the bottom half of the table for council tax savings in Wales - forking out 5.82 per cent of their annual earnings on council tax.

You can view the full research from Haysto here.

Paul Coss, specialist mortgage broker and co-founder of Haysto commented: “Many people across Great Britain will be feeling the sting of the latest council tax increases, particularly those already struggling with finances due to the ongoing pandemic.

“With Welsh residents disproportionately paying more for their council tax in relation to their income than anywhere else in the UK, you can check whether you’re entitled to any discounts and exemptions to ensure you’re not paying more than you need to.”