Council tax rates 2025-26: how does your bill compare?

Council tax in England will rise by an average of 5% in April, adding £109 to the annual bill. But some areas will see rates rocket by double that amount in 2025-26.

The latest government data shows residents in Bradford will be stung with a 9.99% increase, after the local authority sought special permission from the government to raise rates above the 4.99% cap for England.

There are no caps on the amount that local authorities can increase council tax by in Scotland or Wales, with residents in both countries bracing themselves for rises of 10% or more. Northern Ireland uses a different system called rates, but rises are also on the way.

Here, Which? digs into how council tax is changing across the UK and shares tips on what you can do to reduce your bill.

How much will your council tax bill rise by?

How much council tax you pay depends on where you live and which council tax band your property falls into.

The map shows the percentage increases for council tax band D across England, Wales, and Scotland.

Which? analysed data from 296 local authorities in England, including London boroughs, metropolitan district councils, unitary authorities, and district councils.

We found that more than eight in 10 are raising council tax by 4.99%. That's the maximum amount allowed without the need to hold a local referendum. 

The cap is unchanged from last year and includes a 2% adult social care precept – an additional charge that eligible councils can opt to include to pay for adult social care services. For 2025-26, more than nine in 10 local authorities that qualify for the precept have raised it either partially or to the maximum. 

Six councils with particularly stretched finances have been permitted to raise taxes by more than 4.99%.

Bradford will be allowed to increase the levy by 9.99%, while Windsor & Maidenhead and Newham can increase bills by 8.99%. If you live in Birmingham, Somerset or Trafford, your council tax will swell by 7.5%.

Not all areas in England are increasing council tax from April, however. Seven local authorities – East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Harlow, Ribble Valley, Ashfield, Mid Suffolk, and Malvern Hills – will see no rise to core council tax and the adult social care precept. Broadland is actually reducing rates by 0.56%.

Mansfield will see the smallest rises, with the average council tax bill for a band D property only going up by a total of 0.99%.

• Find out more: council tax bands explained

What about the rest of the UK?

Unlike in England, there is no cap on council tax rises in Wales and Scotland.

In Wales, there are a total of 22 local authorities. Of these, Pembrokeshire has the largest band D percentage increase of 9.2%, while Bridgend has the smallest rise of 5%. 

Council tax rates in Scotland, which were frozen last year, will rise from April by an average of 9.6%, but almost half of the 32 local authorities in the region will hike council tax by more than that. The steepest increase will be in Falkirk, after the council agreed on an increase of 15.6%.

Residents in Northern Ireland will see the amount paid in domestic rates go up in 2025-26. The system works very differently from the rest of the UK, with rates calculated by multiplying the rateable capital value of a property by the 'domestic rate poundage' – which is the sum of the domestic regional rate and domestic district rate. 

The domestic district rate is set by the 11 councils in Northern Ireland and, according to the BBC, all have chosen to increase bills for 2025-26. Belfast will see the biggest rise, at 5.99%.

• Find out more: paying council tax

Who pays the most and least council tax?

Places seeing the steepest council tax rises aren't necessarily the most expensive areas to live. That's because your final council tax bill includes other additional charges.

So, as well as core council tax and the adult social care precept, there might also be tax set by other organisations such as the parish council or the police and crime commissioner.  

For example, if we only look at council tax and the adult social care precept, Breckland has the cheapest rates. Residents in this area of Norfolk will only pay £120.46 per year for a band D property, despite bills rising 4.33% from April. But that rises to an eye-watering £2,328.59 with other charges added on top.

Focusing on the overall council tax bill, therefore, reveals people living in Rutland will pay the most in 2025-26. Annual band D bills will hit £2,671.01 from April, up from £2,543.29 in 2024-25, which is a rise of 5%. 

Households in Wandsworth will once again pay the least in England. The London borough chose not to hike the council tax element for the third year in a row, but that doesn't mean those living here won't see any increase to their bill from April. 

In fact, even with the council tax freeze, people will pay 3% more than in 2024-25. That's because other levies such as the social care precept and Greater London Authority charge are still increasing, pushing the annual bill up from £968.77 to £997.75 from next month. 

• Find out more: use our 2025-26 council tax calculator to check how much you'll pay

Ways to reduce your bill

Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a council tax discount of 25%. You can get this discount if you live alone or with others who are 'disregarded' for council tax purposes, such as full-time students. 

Other reductions may be available on empty properties, as well as second homes and holiday homes. These discounts aren't applied automatically, so if you think you fit the bill, you’ll need to contact the council and make your case. 

Reviewing your council tax band is another option if you think the original valuation of your home might have been wrong, or changes made to the property's use or size since its valuation might alter the band it should sit in.

Just bear in mind that while a move to a lower council tax band would see your bills get cheaper and likely get you a council tax refund for the tax you've overpaid, it's also possible to be reclassified into a higher band, which would increase your bills.

• Find out more: how to get a council tax reduction or refund