How Much Council Tax Will I Pay?
Short answer: at the 2026/27 England average Band D of £2,392, a Band A home pays £1,594.67 a year and a Band H home pays £4,784. Living alone takes 25% off. Your own bill depends on your council's Band D charge and your band.
How your council tax bill is worked out
Every council in England sets one number each spring: its Band D charge. That figure already includes the county, district, police, fire, adult social care and any parish precepts for your area. Every other band is a fixed fraction of Band D, set in law, so once you know your band and your council's Band D charge, the maths is simple.
Ratios: A 6, B 7, C 8, D 9, E 11, F 13, G 15, H 18
Bands are based on what the home would have sold for on 1 April 1991, not what it is worth today. That is why two similar houses on different streets can sit in different bands. A Band H home always pays exactly 3 times what a Band A home pays in the same area (18 ÷ 6).
For 2026/27 the average Band D charge in England is £2,392, an increase of £111 or 4.9% on 2025/26 (MHCLG, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027). The average bill per dwelling is £1,868, lower than Band D because most homes are in Bands A to C.
Council tax by band at the 2026/27 average
| Band | 1991 value | Per year | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (25% off) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | up to £40,000 | £1,594.67 | £159.47 | £132.89 | £1,196.00 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,860.44 | £186.04 | £155.04 | £1,395.33 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,126.22 | £212.62 | £177.19 | £1,594.67 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,392.00 | £239.20 | £199.33 | £1,794.00 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,923.56 | £292.36 | £243.63 | £2,192.67 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,455.11 | £345.51 | £287.93 | £2,591.33 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,986.67 | £398.67 | £332.22 | £2,990.00 |
| H | over £320,000 | £4,784.00 | £478.40 | £398.67 | £3,588.00 |
If your council charges more or less than average
Band D charges vary a lot between councils, so the average is only a starting point. This table shows the yearly bill for each band at a range of Band D charges. Find the row closest to the figure on your bill or your council's website.
| Band D charge | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,800 | £1,200.00 | £1,400.00 | £1,600.00 | £1,800.00 | £2,200.00 | £2,600.00 | £3,000.00 | £3,600.00 |
| £2,000 | £1,333.33 | £1,555.56 | £1,777.78 | £2,000.00 | £2,444.44 | £2,888.89 | £3,333.33 | £4,000.00 |
| £2,200 | £1,466.67 | £1,711.11 | £1,955.56 | £2,200.00 | £2,688.89 | £3,177.78 | £3,666.67 | £4,400.00 |
| £2,600 | £1,733.33 | £2,022.22 | £2,311.11 | £2,600.00 | £3,177.78 | £3,755.56 | £4,333.33 | £5,200.00 |
| £2,800 | £1,866.67 | £2,177.78 | £2,488.89 | £2,800.00 | £3,422.22 | £4,044.44 | £4,666.67 | £5,600.00 |
Worked example: a Band B flat, living alone
Say your council's Band D charge is £2,250 and your flat is in Band B. Band B is 7/9 of Band D: £2,250 × 7 ÷ 9 = £1,750 a year.
You live on your own, so the 25% single person discount takes off £437.50, leaving £1,312.50. Over the standard 10 instalments that is £131.25 a month. If you ask for 12 instalments it drops to £109.38 a month, with February and March no longer payment-free.
Discounts and ways to lower the bill
- Single person discount (25%). You get 25% off if you are the only adult in the home, or if everyone else living with you is "disregarded" (for example under-18s, some apprentices and full-time students). You have to apply to your council; it is not automatic.
- Everyone disregarded (50%). If every adult in the household is disregarded, the discount is 50%. A home lived in only by full-time students can be fully exempt.
- Council Tax Reduction. On a low income or benefits you may qualify for a means-tested reduction run by your council. Each council has its own scheme.
- Check your band. Look up your home by postcode on GOV.UK and compare it with similar homes nearby. If yours looks out of line, you can ask the Valuation Office Agency to check it. Be aware a review can move the band up as well as down.
- Spread it over 12 months. It does not change the total, but on a Band D bill at the average it cuts each payment by £39.87, which can help with budgeting.
Moving home? Budget for council tax alongside the purchase costs in our stamp duty guide and your monthly mortgage repayment. To see how the bill fits your pay, try the take home pay calculator.
This guide covers England. Wales has an extra Band I and different ratios, and Scotland uses its own bands, so the figures above do not apply there. Councils can also add premiums on long-term empty homes and second homes.
Try the council tax calculator (england)
Enter your own numbers below, or open the full council tax calculator (england) with the formula and more examples.
This guide is general information with example numbers, not financial, tax or building advice. Your costs and results will differ. Terms
Frequently asked questions
How much is council tax a month?
At the 2026/27 England average, a Band D home pays £2,392 a year: £239.20 a month over 10 instalments or £199.33 over 12. Band A is £159.47 over 10 months and Band H is £478.40.
Which council tax band is the cheapest?
Band A, which pays 6/9 of the Band D charge. Band H pays 18/9, so it is always 3 times Band A in the same council area.
How much is the single person discount?
25% off the bill if you are the only adult, or the only one who is not disregarded. On the average Band D bill that saves £598 a year, bringing it to £1,794.
Why does my council tax go up every April?
Councils set a new Band D charge each year. The England average rose by £111 (4.9%) between 2025/26 and 2026/27.