Council tax calculator
Council tax is set by each local council, not a national rate, but every property's band fixes a ratio of that council's band-D charge: band D is 9/9, band A is 6/9 and band H is 18/9, under gov.uk's rules on how council tax is worked out. This estimates the annual and monthly bill from that band-D figure.
Council tax in England and Scotland is set by your property's band (A to H) and your council's band D charge. Band A pays two thirds of band D, band H pays double. The average band D charge in England for 2026/27 is £2,171 per year. Enter your band and local charge below to calculate your annual and monthly bill.
How do council tax bands work?
Every home in England is placed in one of eight bands, A to H, based on its estimated value on 1 April 1991, under gov.uk's council tax bands guidance. The band does not set the bill on its own. It sets a ratio against band D, which is the middle reference point. Band D counts as nine ninths. Band A, the cheapest, is six ninths, so two thirds of band D. Band H, the most expensive, is eighteen ninths, exactly double band D.
This is why two homes in different bands but the same council pay predictable multiples of each other. Once the council fixes its own band-D charge for the year, the rest of the table follows by arithmetic. The calculator applies the band ratio entered to the band-D figure entered, then splits it into the 12-month and the standard 10-instalment views.
| Band | Ratio to 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 |
Does council tax apply in Northern Ireland?
No. Northern Ireland has no council tax and no bands. Domestic property there is charged through rates, and nidirect gives the calculation as the rateable capital value of the property multiplied by the sum of the domestic regional rate and the domestic district rate. The rateable capital value is the capital value of the property based on property values on 1 January 2005, the district rate is set by the district council, and Land and Property Services issues the bills at the beginning of April each year. This calculator applies the England, Scotland and Wales banding system and does not cover Northern Ireland.
What does a worked example show?
Take a band-D charge of £2,280. A band D home pays that in full, £2,280 a year. A band A home in the same area pays six ninths of it, and a band H home pays double. Spread the £2,280 over the usual 10 instalments and each payment is £228.00, with February and March free. Choose to pay over 12 months instead and it drops to £190.00 a month.
Common questions
How is council tax worked out from the band?
Your band sets a fixed ratio of the band-D charge for your area. Band D is the reference point at nine ninths. Band A pays six ninths of it, band H pays eighteen ninths, which is double band D. So once you know the local band-D figure, every other band follows from the ratio.
What is a typical band-D charge?
It varies widely by council because it funds local services, adult social care and the police and fire precepts. Many areas sit somewhere around £2,000 to £2,400 for band D. Your bill or your council website shows the exact figure, which you can type into the calculator.
Is council tax paid monthly?
By default councils spread the annual charge over 10 monthly instalments, from April to January, so two months of the year have no payment. You can usually ask to pay over 12 months instead, which lowers each instalment. The calculator shows both.
Can I lower my council tax?
A single adult gets a 25% discount. Students, some carers and people on low incomes may pay less or nothing through Council Tax Reduction, which each council runs its own way. You can also challenge your band with the Valuation Office Agency if you think it is wrong.
How do council tax bands work?
Every home in England sits in one of eight bands, A to H, based on its estimated value on 1 April 1991, under gov.uk's council tax bands guidance. Each band is a fixed ratio of the local band-D charge: band D counts as 9/9, band A as 6/9 and band H as 18/9. Once a council sets its band-D figure for the year, every other band follows from that ratio.
What does a worked example show?
Taking a band-D charge of £2,280, a band D home pays that figure in full each year. A band A home in the same council area pays six ninths of it, and a band H home pays double, since it sits at eighteen ninths. Spreading the annual amount over the usual 10 instalments gives a monthly figure, and spreading it over 12 months instead gives a lower one.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.