Council tax band A
In England, Wales and Scotland, Council tax band A sits at the very bottom of the scale. Two thirds of the Band D charge its council sets is what a band A home pays.
- band A average bill across England, 2026/27
- £1,594
- share of homes in England classed as band A
- 23.7%
- portion of the Band D charge
- 6/9
Which home values fall into band A
Bands are based on a home's value on a fixed past date, not on what it's worth now. That date is 1 April 1991 in England, where band A takes in homes then worth up to £40,000 (Valuation Office guidance).
Wales had a revaluation on 1 April 2003, so homes there sit in band A up to £44,000. Scotland still uses the 1991 figures, so its band A tops out at £27,000 (Scottish Assessors).
| Nation | Value date | Band A value |
|---|---|---|
| England | 1 April 1991 | Up to £40,000 |
| Wales | 1 April 2003 | Up to £44,000 |
| Scotland | 1 April 1991 | Up to £27,000 |
What council tax band A costs in 2026/27
The £2,392 figure is England's official average for Band D for 2026/27 (MHCLG data on council tax). Take six ninths of that figure and the average band A bill comes to about £1,594.
For Wales, the same maths on its £2,283 average (Welsh Government figures) produces £1,522. In Scotland the official average Band D stands at £1,653 (Scottish Government datasets), which puts band A at £1,102.
Any average tells you less than your own location does. Wandsworth charges £685.47 for a band A home, but that same band in Dorset costs £1,843.35.
| Nation | Lowest three band A bills | Highest three band A bills |
|---|---|---|
| England | Wandsworth £685.47; Westminster £699.70; City of London £886.37 | Dorset £1,843.35; Lewes £1,837.45; Nottingham £1,836.93 |
| Wales | Cardiff £1,342.12; Caerphilly £1,388.59; Newport £1,392.32 | Merthyr Tydfil £1,729.07; Neath Port Talbot £1,694.26; Blaenau Gwent £1,687.51 |
| Scotland | South Lanarkshire £978.98; Shetland Islands £991.93; Na h-Eileanan Siar £1,003.67 | Midlothian £1,210.77; Argyll and Bute £1,188.89; Stirling £1,168.58 |
Band A homes: who lives in them
Across England band A holds the most homes: 6.1 million, which is 23.7% of them all (VOA stock of properties). Those shares are for England and Wales combined, and they count homes as at 31 March 2025.
- Flats and maisonettes: 38% sit in band A, a bigger share than any other band has.
- Terraced houses: band A holds 33% of them.
- Homes with one bedroom: 53% land in band A.
How band A compares with Band D
Councils use Band D, the middle band, as their yardstick, and the law sets each band's ratio to it. For every 9 that Band D pays, band A in England and Wales pays 6 (Local Government Finance Act 1992, section 5).
Band A gets 240 on Scotland's scale and Band D gets 360, the same two thirds (section 74 of that Act). So within one council, band A council tax always comes in one third below Band D.
How to lower a band A bill
Benefits or a low income could mean you qualify for Council Tax Reduction. Councils hand out discounts and exemptions too, so ask your own council what fits your home.
There's no band below A, so a challenge can't push you any further down. Use the council tax band checker on any home before you buy it, and check what its bill would be.