Aberdeen City Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Aberdeen City is £1,747.54 for 2026/27, up 6.8% (£111.27) on last year. That is £94.10 above the Scotland average of £1,653.44 — the 28th lowest of 32 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (23%), so the average bill per home is about £1,829.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Scottish council · Official Scotland government statistics
Aberdeen City council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £27,000 | £1,165.03 | £116.50 | £97.09 | £873.77 | 20,080 |
| B | £27,001 to £35,000 | £1,359.20 | £135.92 | £113.27 | £1,019.40 | 26,983 |
| C | £35,001 to £45,000 | £1,553.37 | £155.34 | £129.45 | £1,165.03 | 19,177 |
| D | £45,001 to £58,000 | £1,747.54 | £174.75 | £145.63 | £1,310.66 | 16,285 |
| E | £58,001 to £80,000 | £2,296.07 | £229.61 | £191.34 | £1,722.06 | 15,598 |
| F | £80,001 to £106,000 | £2,839.75 | £283.98 | £236.65 | £2,129.81 | 9,144 |
| G | £106,001 to £212,000 | £3,422.27 | £342.23 | £285.19 | £2,566.70 | 8,335 |
| H | More than £212,000 | £4,281.47 | £428.15 | £356.79 | £3,211.10 | 1,163 |
- Aberdeen City
- Scotland average
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Aberdeen City council tax history
Band D in Aberdeen City has risen from £1,230.39 in 2016/17 to £1,747.54 in 2026/27 — 42% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.9%, the 19th biggest increase of 32 councils in Scotland.
- Aberdeen City Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £1,747.54 | +6.8% | £1,359.20 |
| 2025/26 | £1,636.27 | +9.8% | £1,272.65 |
| 2024/25 | £1,489.55 | +0.0% | £1,158.54 |
| 2023/24 | £1,489.55 | +5.0% | £1,158.54 |
| 2022/23 | £1,418.62 | +3.0% | £1,103.37 |
| 2021/22 | £1,377.30 | +0.0% | £1,071.23 |
| 2020/21 | £1,377.30 | +4.0% | £1,071.23 |
| 2019/20 | £1,324.33 | +4.5% | £1,030.03 |
| 2018/19 | £1,267.30 | +3.0% | £985.68 |
| 2017/18 | £1,230.39 | +0.0% | £956.97 |
| 2016/17 | £1,230.39 | – | £956.97 |
Homes by council tax band in Aberdeen City
Aberdeen City has 116,765 homes on the valuation list (chargeable dwellings, September 2025). 40% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,359.20 a year (£135.92 a month over 10 instalments).
Aberdeen City compared with Scotland
Aberdeen City is the 28th cheapest of 32 councils in Scotland, where the average Band D across councils is £1,661.92 (£85.62 less than here). Cheapest: South Lanarkshire (£1,468.47); most expensive: Midlothian (£1,816.16).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| East Ayrshire | £1,717.28 | +6.9% |
| Dundee City | £1,729.69 | +7.7% |
| Moray | £1,731.14 | +10% |
| Aberdeen City | £1,747.54 | +6.8% |
| East Dunbartonshire | £1,751.67 | +9.5% |
| Stirling | £1,752.87 | +8.8% |
| Argyll & Bute | £1,783.33 | +9.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Aberdeen City drops from £1,359.20 to £1,019.40.
- Council Tax Reduction: Aberdeen City runs its own scheme for people on low incomes or benefits under the national Scottish rules.
- Disregards and exemptions: full-time students, student halls, some carers and people with a severe mental impairment are not counted; all-student homes pay nothing.
- Disabled Band Reduction: if your home has been adapted for a disabled person you may be billed one band lower.
Aberdeen City's 6.8% rise compares with a Scotland average of about 7.1%. Scottish councils set their own rates, and water and sewerage charges are added on top.
Three years of Aberdeen council tax
Aberdeen City Council's Band D charge was frozen at £1,489.55 in 2024/25 under the Scotland-wide council tax freeze. It then rose 9.8% to £1,636.27 in 2025/26, and 6.8% to £1,747.54 in 2026/27. Over the two years since the freeze, a Band D bill has gone up by £257.99 a year, before Scottish Water's water and waste water charges, which are added to the same bill.
Most Aberdeen homes are in the lower bands. Band B is the most common, with 26,983 homes, and costs £1,359.20 in 2026/27. The city also has 1,163 Band H homes, each paying £4,281.47 in council tax.
Empty and second homes: 200% after a short discount
Since 1 April 2024, Aberdeen has charged 200% council tax on second homes, after the council's budget meeting on 6 March 2024 approved a 100% levy using the power Scottish councils were given that year. The extra charge does not apply to the water and waste water part of the bill. A second home does not have to be owned: a rented home that is not your main residence counts too.
Homes that are empty, rather than second homes, get a short period of relief first:
- Unoccupied and unfurnished: exempt for up to 6 months from the date it became unoccupied and unfurnished, then 10% off for a further 6 months.
- Furnished but not a second home, occupied less than 25 days a year: a discount for up to 12 months from the date it became unoccupied.
- After that, long-term empty homes face a 100% increase, according to Aberdeen's 2026/27 return to the Scottish Government. A Band B home empty for more than a year therefore pays £2,718.40 a year in council tax.
Council Tax Reduction and banding appeals
Council Tax Reduction in Aberdeen follows the Scottish national rules. If your income is at or below your "applicable amount", the weekly sum the rules say your household needs, you usually get the maximum reduction. For every £1 of income above that, the reduction falls by 20p. You need savings below £16,000, and the reduction never covers water and sewerage charges. Pension-age awards are backdated three months automatically, while working-age claimants can ask in writing for up to six months if something genuinely stopped them claiming sooner. If you lose your single-person discount or student exemption because another adult lives with you, you may get Second Adult Rebate instead.
Bands in Aberdeen are set by the Grampian Assessor, not the council. You can appeal within six months of becoming the taxpayer, within six months of the Assessor changing your band, or within six months of a successful appeal on a comparable home nearby. You must tell the council about a change within 21 days. Giving inaccurate information can lead to a £50 penalty, and another £200 if it happens again.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Aberdeen City?
£1,747.54 a year in 2026/27, or £174.75 a month over 10 instalments. Water and sewerage charges from Scottish Water are billed on top.
What council tax band are most homes in Aberdeen City?
Band B: 26,983 of 116,765 homes (23%). A Band B bill is £1,359.20 in 2026/27.
How much has Aberdeen City council tax gone up?
6.8% this year, from £1,636.27 to £1,747.54 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 42%.
How do I find my council tax band?
Search your address on the Scottish Assessors website (saa.gov.uk). You can appeal within six months of moving in.
Does Aberdeen charge double council tax on second homes?
Yes. Since 1 April 2024, second homes in Aberdeen have paid 200% council tax. Water and waste water charges are not doubled.
Who sets council tax bands in Aberdeen?
The Grampian Assessor. Appeals usually have to be made within six months of becoming the taxpayer or of the band changing.
Is there an empty home exemption in Aberdeen?
An unoccupied, unfurnished home is exempt for up to 6 months, then gets 10% off for 6 more months.
How much did Aberdeen council tax rise in 2026/27?
6.8%, taking Band D to £1,747.54, after a 9.8% rise in 2025/26.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- Scottish Government: Council Tax by band 2026-27 (XLSX)
- Scottish Government: Council Tax by band 2025-26 (XLSX), used for Scotland % change
- VOA / GOV.UK: Understand how Council Tax bands are assessed
- GOV.UK: Council Tax – who has to pay (single person discount)
- legislation.gov.uk: Council Tax (Substitution of Proportion) (Scotland) Order 2016
- Scottish Government: Number of chargeable dwellings, September 2025 (CTAXBASE 2025)
- Aberdeen City Council – Council Tax bands and billing
- Aberdeen City Council – Council Tax charges for second homes
- Aberdeen City Council – Discounts and exemptions for unoccupied properties
- Aberdeen City Council – Council Tax Reduction and Second Adult Rebate
- Aberdeen City Council – Change your details for Council Tax
- Scottish Government – Second homes and long-term empty policies and discounts 2026-27 (XLSX)