Ministers have extended their attempt to demystify the complex world of local government finance by publishing a ‘heat map' showing exactly how much residents in different parts of England pay in council tax and receive in government grants.

The data, published on 13 April, showed that residents in London and the south of England – where property prices on which council tax payments are based are highest – contributed the most in council tax for 2011/12, with traditional ‘middle-class' areas paying the highest level per head.