How much has council tax gone up this year?
MHCLG publishes council tax levels for every council in England each March. For 2026-27, published 25 March 2026, the average Band D council tax in England is £2,392, up £111 or 4.9% on 2025-26. That includes the adult social care precept and parish precepts.
The local authority tables show the Band D figure and increase for every area, which answers which councils charge most and least. Wales publishes its own council tax levels each year, and the Scottish Government publishes Scottish figures.
Band D is a standard measure, not an average bill: most homes in England are in lower bands, so the average bill per dwelling is lower (£1,868 in 2026-27). Percentage rises also differ between areas because councils, police and fire authorities and parishes each set their part.
When is the next figure out?
MHCLG publishes at 9:30am on dates pre-announced on the GOV.UK statistics calendar. Council tax levels for the coming year appear in March, revenue budgets in June, capital outturn and revenue outturn later in the year, and the provisional finance settlement usually in December with the final settlement in February. Live tables on borrowing and capital payments are updated each quarter.
Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.
Where the figures come from
- Local government finance statistics (MHCLG, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)Where to find official council spending, council tax, finance settlement, debt and audit data for England, plus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about councils and local government: all Councils and local government questions.