Council tax bands explained, and how to check yours
Council tax is one of the largest fixed costs of living in a home, and the band is attached to the property rather than the person. It is worth knowing how the band was set before you assume it is right.
Where the bands came from
In England, every home was placed in a band based on what it would have sold for on 1 April 1991. In Wales, bands were reassessed and are based on 1 April 2003 values. Those valuation dates have not changed since, so the band does not reflect what the property is worth today. A home built last year is still given a band based on what it would have been worth on the relevant historic date.
England has eight bands, A to H. Wales has nine, A to I.
How much each band costs
Councils set one figure, the band D charge. Every other band is a fixed proportion of it, set in law. That means you can work out any band from the band D rate for the local authority.
| Band | Proportion of band D |
|---|---|
| A | 6/9 |
| B | 7/9 |
| C | 8/9 |
| D | 9/9 |
| E | 11/9 |
| F | 13/9 |
| G | 15/9 |
| H | 18/9 |
| I (Wales only) | 21/9 |
So a band A home pays two thirds of the band D charge and a band H home pays double it. The total bill also includes precepts for police, fire and, in many areas, a parish or town council, which is why two neighbouring areas in the same county can differ.
Discounts and exemptions worth knowing
- Single occupant discount of 25 per cent if you are the only adult in the home.
- Full time students are disregarded, and a household of only students can be exempt.
- People with severe mental impairment, live in carers and some apprentices are disregarded.
- A disabled band reduction can move the bill down one band where the home has been adapted.
- Empty and second homes can attract a premium rather than a discount, and this varies by council.
When a band is worth challenging
Bands were originally set quickly and errors exist, particularly where similar homes on the same street sit in different bands. You can ask the Valuation Office Agency to review a band, but do it with evidence.
- 1Check the bands of neighbouring properties of the same size and age. They are public.
- 2Find sale evidence from around the valuation date, or use a reliable index to work a later sale back to it.
- 3Only proceed if both tests point the same way.
Checking before you move
The band applies to the property, so it is a cost you inherit. Check it before you offer, alongside the energy certificate. Between them, those two records tell you most of what a home will cost to keep running before you have paid a penny of mortgage.
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