Middle England faces council tax hikes of up to £250 under Angela Rayner's controversial plan to create 'mega councils'.
Research has found residents of local authorities with populations above half a million pay hundreds of pounds more a year for services.
Analysis by the District Councils' Network shows that the average Band D bill in a council area with more than 500,000 people stands at £2,009, while those with smaller populations pay £1,759.
Last year, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), run by Ms Rayner until she quit after underpaying stamp duty on her new seaside home, proposed 'simpler structures' for local government.
All town halls in the 21 two-tier areas – where services are split between county councils and districts – that cover much of southern England and the Midlands were ordered to come up with ideas to merge into unitary authorities.
