Council Tax to rise on 1 April – how bills will change in England, Scotland and Wales

The rises in England are similar to last year's, while in Scotland and Wales they're generally lower. Northern Ireland uses a different system known as 'rates'. See below for ways you may be able to save on your council tax.

Council Tax rises 2026/27

Here's what you can expect depending on where you live:

England

• The vast majority of English councils will raise Council Tax by 5%. This is the maximum amount that's normally allowed without the local authority having to do a referendum of its residents.
  
  Of 384 authorities, 274 are hiking Council Tax by the full 5%, while another 50 are increasing rates by "close to" 5%, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
  
  In the current 2025/26 tax year, Council Tax on a typical band D property in England is an average of £2,281. A 5% rise is equivalent to around £111, taking that average band D bill to £2,392. See how the rises are calculated.

• Seven councils have Government permission to enact hikes of more than 5%. This permission is generally given in exceptional circumstances – for example, where the local authority has serious financial problems. This year the list is:
  
  - Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole: 6.75%
  - North Somerset: 9%
  - Shropshire: 9%
  - Trafford: 7.5%
  - Warrington: 7.5%
  - Windsor & Maidenhead: 7.5%
  - Worcestershire: 9%

Scotland

• Scottish households will see their Council Tax rise by between 4% and 10%.
  

  Scotland Council Tax rises 2026/27

  Aberdeen City up 6.8%	Aberdeenshire up 10%
  Angus up 9.38%	Argyll and Bute up 9.7%
  City of Edinburgh up 4%	Clackmannanshire up 5.6%
  Comhairle nan Eilean Siar up 8.5%	Dumfries and Galloway up 8.5%
  Dundee City up 7.75%	East Ayrshire up 6.9%
  East Dunbartonshire up 9.5%	East Lothian up 7.5%
  East Renfrewshire up 6%	Falkirk up 8.77%
  Fife up 5%	Glasgow City up 5.9%
  Highland up 7%	Inverclyde up 7.9%
  Midlothian up 9%	Moray up 10%
  North Ayrshire up 8.5%	North Lanarkshire up 7%
  Orkney Islands up 6%	Perth & Kinross up 8.9%
  Renfrewshire up 7.5%	Scottish Borders up 8.5%
  Shetland Islands up 7.3%	South Ayrshire up 8%
  South Lanarkshire up 6.5%	Stirling up 8.75%
  West Dunbartonshire up 7.8%	West Lothian up 7.4%

Wales

• In Wales, homes will see typical Council Tax rises of between 4% and 5%.
  

  Wales Council Tax rises 2026/27

  Blaenau Gwent up 3.75%	Bridgend up 4.7%
  Caerphilly up 6.25%	Cardiff up 3.9%
  Carmarthenshire up 4.9%	Ceredigion up 4.75%
  Conwy up 6.5%	Denbighshire up 5.22%
  Flintshire up 5.46%	Gwynedd up 5.17%
  Isle of Anglesey up 5.1%	Merthyr Tydfil up 4.95%
  Monmouthshire up 5.95%	Neath Port Talbot up 3.5%
  Newport City up 4.9%	Pembrokeshire up 4.6%
  Powys up 4.9%	Rhondda Cynon Taf up 4%
  Swansea up 3.9%	Torfaen up 3.95%
  Vale of Glamorgan up 6.5%	Wrexham up 4.9%

How Council Tax bill hikes are calculated

Council Tax bills are complex and made up of different elements. Exactly how much you pay also depends on your Council Tax band, which is based on your property's value.

In England, any increase to your bill can be made up of some or all of the following elements in 2026-27 – so how much you'll pay in total, and the exact percentage rise you'll see, will depend on which elements apply to you:

• Your local council element – though this can be split into two parts. The maximum this can rise by is 3%, with this funding going towards council services.
  

  - If you live in a 'single-tier authority' area, where one council looks after all your services, there will be one fee to pay.

  - For those in 'two-tier authority' areas, where two councils cover services, there are two fees – one set by your county council, and another set by your district, borough or city council. How much of your bill goes towards each council varies by authority, but county councils tend to take the largest share.

• A charge for adult social care. The maximum this can rise by this year is 2%. This charge is usually included alongside your council rate, meaning a combined total increase for many of 5%.

• Additional, separate 'mayoral' charges in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. These are made up of different elements, which go towards the cost of services including transport, policing and fire and rescue. They're set to rise by 4.1% in London and 19.4% in Manchester, while the rate has been frozen in both Liverpool and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.

• Other associated costs. The maximum increase for this is set by the council. This covers fees to police units, fire and rescue services and any town/parish councils.

In Scotland and Wales, your bill is also split into a number of elements – but these aren't individually capped.

Can you save on Council Tax bills?

Make sure you're not missing out on support to help pay your Council Tax bills:

• Check if you're eligible for a Council Tax discount. Many people qualify for discounts or reductions of between 25% and 100% off their Council Tax bill, potentially saving £100s – or even £1,000s – each year.
  
  This can include full-time students, people on low incomes and/or benefits, adults living alone (or only with under-18s), carers, people with disabilities and households that contain people with what's known as a 'severe mental impairment'.
  
  However, it's up to YOU to flag to your council whether you might be eligible for a discount – for help with this, see our Council Tax discounts guide.

• Check your property is in the right band. Many homes in England and Scotland are in the wrong Council Tax band, and have been since 1991. However, challenging your band is not something to do speculatively without checking, for one simple reason: you can't just ask for your band to be lowered – only for a reassessment, which means it could be moved up or down, so your bills could rise or fall. We've full step-by-step help in our Check & Challenge guide.