Council tax band B

How much does band B cost in 2026-27?

Every year, each council fixes a single headline charge known as the Band D charge. All the other bands then pay a set portion of that figure. Band B pays less than Band D, so it is one of the cheaper bands.

Typical Band D charges are £2,392 in England, £2,283 in Wales and £1,653 in Scotland.

For England, the numbers are taken from the government's official English council tax figures for 2026 to 2027. Wales's figures come from the Welsh Government, and Scotland's from the Scottish Government's council tax data.

Band B bills by council

Averages are only a rough guide, since every council picks its own charge.

England's cheapest band B bills are Wandsworth at £799.72, Westminster at £816.32 and the City of London at £1,034.10 a year. Its highest are Dorset at £2,150.57, Lewes at £2,143.69 and Nottingham at £2,143.08.

In Wales, the lowest charges are Cardiff at £1,565.81, Caerphilly at £1,620.02 and Newport at £1,624.37. The highest are Merthyr Tydfil at £2,017.24, Neath Port Talbot at £1,976.64 and Blaenau Gwent at £1,968.76.

Scotland's lowest are South Lanarkshire at £1,142.15, the Shetland Islands at £1,157.26 and Na h-Eileanan Siar at £1,170.94. Its highest are Midlothian at £1,412.57, Argyll and Bute at £1,387.03 and Stirling at £1,363.34.

These are just the cheapest and dearest areas. For your exact amount, check your council's website or your latest bill.

What kind of home falls into band B?

Which band a home lands in depends on its value on a set date in the past, known as the valuation date, not on what the property would sell for now.

In England, the valuation date is 1 April 1991, and band B covers homes that were worth £40,001 to £52,000 at that point. Wales instead uses 1 April 2003, with band B taking in homes valued at £44,001 to £65,000. Scotland also goes back to 1 April 1991, where band B applies to homes over £27,000 up to £35,000.

The ranges for England and Wales appear in the government's guide to band assessments. Scotland's figure is taken from the Scottish Assessors.

Places where band B is common

In Wales, band B is the second most widespread band, covering 307,160 homes, 20.7% of the total. Across the South West of England it is actually the most common band of all, accounting for 24% of homes. Both figures are drawn from the council tax stock of properties statistics for 2025.

Getting help with a band B bill

On a low income or receiving benefits? You may qualify for Council Tax Reduction, support from your council that cuts what you owe. The government's council tax page shows how your bill is calculated and tells you where that support is available.

The way this is worked out

The law sets each band as a fixed ratio of the Band D charge. The English rules come from section 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, which fixes band B at a set share of the Band D charge, a little under four-fifths, so it always costs less than Band D wherever you live.

In Scotland, different numbers apply for the same idea. Section 74 of the same Act gives band B the same share of Band D as in England.

You don't need to work anything out. Your council's website and your yearly bill show the exact band B charge where you live.