WHEN Warwick ratepayer Samantha O'Neil opened her rates bill she knew it would be a hit to the hip-pocket.

What she found was the largest increase in her 10 years as home owner - a 13% jump up to more than $2600 for the year.

While Mrs O'Neil pays her bill in weekly instalments, she's still worried about what future increases will mean for her young family.

"It impacts on what you can do as a family.

"If it keeps going up it'll mean cutting back on kids' sport and those sorts of things."

To some, $300 extra a year may not seem like much, but on top of rising power, registration and grocery bills - it has a real impact on the family budget.

Mrs O'Neil said she considered herself lucky compared to other people in town.

"People I work with have had their bill go up $1000 and I head of someone who had a $1500 increase - it's massive," she said.

"We're paying the same as what people in Brisbane pay, yet we don't have half the services or facilities.

"It's putting home ownership further out of reach for the average family."

One of the biggest hits in this year's bill was a more than 50% drop in the discount.

"They really should have left the discount," Mrs O'Neil said.

"There's no incentive for paying on time"

In previous years, the O'Neils have received a brochure with the rates bill explaining how the council would spend the money - this year they received nothing.

"It makes you wonder what they're not telling us," she said.

"Because they've done such a big increase they should put an open advertisement or something in the paper to explain to people why it's gone up.

"It's the biggest jump we've had but our valuation hasn't changed."

HOW has the rate rise impacted you?