Ashford Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Ashford is £2,410.16 for 2026/27, up 4.3% (£98.97) on last year. That is £18.64 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 127th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (23%), so the average bill per home is about £2,447.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Ashford council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,606.77 | £160.68 | £133.90 | £1,205.08 | 4,420 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,874.57 | £187.46 | £156.21 | £1,405.93 | 13,960 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,142.36 | £214.24 | £178.53 | £1,606.77 | 13,790 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,410.16 | £241.02 | £200.85 | £1,807.62 | 10,320 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,945.75 | £294.58 | £245.48 | £2,209.31 | 7,180 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,481.34 | £348.13 | £290.11 | £2,611.01 | 6,280 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,016.93 | £401.69 | £334.74 | £3,012.70 | 3,610 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,820.32 | £482.03 | £401.69 | £3,615.24 | 220 |
- Ashford
- England average
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Where your Ashford council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Ashford but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,410.16 Band D charge, £199.37 (8%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £199.37 | 8.3% | £155.07 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,758.60 | 73.0% | £1,367.80 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.15 | 11.8% | £221.78 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.81 | 4.1% | £77.63 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £67.23 | 2.8% | £52.29 |
- District council £199 8.3%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,759 73.0%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 11.8%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £67 2.8%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Ashford; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Ashford council tax history
Band D in Ashford has risen from £1,539.58 in 2016/17 to £2,410.16 in 2026/27 — 57% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.2%, the 191st biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Ashford Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,410.16 | +4.3% | £1,874.57 |
| 2025/26 | £2,311.19 | +5.0% | £1,797.59 |
| 2024/25 | £2,202.18 | +4.8% | £1,712.81 |
| 2023/24 | £2,100.73 | +5.0% | £1,633.90 |
| 2022/23 | £2,000.40 | +3.1% | £1,555.87 |
| 2021/22 | £1,940.76 | +5.0% | £1,509.48 |
| 2020/21 | £1,848.43 | +4.0% | £1,437.67 |
| 2019/20 | £1,776.98 | +6.1% | £1,382.10 |
| 2018/19 | £1,675.18 | +5.0% | £1,302.92 |
| 2017/18 | £1,595.42 | +3.6% | £1,240.88 |
| 2016/17 | £1,539.58 | – | £1,197.45 |
Homes by council tax band in Ashford
Ashford has 59,780 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 31% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,874.57 a year (£187.46 a month over 10 instalments).
Ashford compared with South East
Ashford is the 20th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£65.29 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Hart | £2,400.02 | +5% |
| Swale | £2,405.65 | +4.3% |
| Gravesham | £2,408.24 | +4.1% |
| Ashford | £2,410.16 | +4.3% |
| Slough | £2,414.44 | +5% |
| Crawley | £2,418.46 | +4.9% |
| Canterbury | £2,419.33 | +4.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Ashford drops from £1,874.57 to £1,405.93.
- Council Tax Reduction: Ashford runs its own scheme for people on low incomes or benefits — rules differ from council to council in England.
- 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 (Band A homes get a reduction of 1/9 of Band D).
Ashford's 4.3% rise compares with an England average of 4.9%. Councils responsible for social care can raise their own share by up to 4.99% without a referendum, districts by under 3% or £5, and police and fire bodies by fixed cash amounts — so the area total can move by a different percentage.
Ashford raised working-age support to 90% from April 2026
Ashford Borough Council changed its Council Tax Reduction scheme from 1 April 2026. The maximum help for working-age residents went up from 80% to 90% of the bill. That brings everyone into line with the old "vulnerable" group, which now sits in the same banded scheme based on income and household make-up. On a Band C bill of £2,142.36, the most a working-age claimant now pays is £214.24 a year, down from £428.47 under the 80% cap.
The new scheme also ignores every Universal Credit element except the standard allowance, including the housing, child, carer, disabled child, limited capability for work and transitional protection elements. The first £25 a week of earnings is also ignored. The council says this is meant to stop people losing out when they move from old "passported" benefits to Universal Credit. The income bands rise each year in line with the National Minimum Wage. Working-age claimants cannot have more than £10,000 in savings (pension age: £16,000).
Empty and second homes in Ashford
- Second homes: 100% premium from 1 April 2025, decided in February 2024. This applies even to holiday lets and homes you use often but don't live in as your main home. Band D total: £4,820.32.
- Empty and unfurnished 1 to 5 years: 100% premium (£4,820.32 at Band D). 5 to 10 years: 200%. Over 10 years: 300% (£9,640.64).
- The premium goes with the property. If you buy a home that has been empty for over a year and leave it empty, you pay 200% straight away.
- Homes left empty by armed forces members away on service, and empty annexes that are part of a single property, never pay the premium.
When instalments are due
Ashford instalments fall on the 1st of the month. To pay later in the month, for example on payday, you have to pay a month ahead. A 1 April instalment would be paid on 25 March. You can ask to spread the bill over 12 months instead of 10. The council told residents that it costs about £429,000 a week to run its services, and council tax raises about £189,000 of that. Ashford Borough Council keeps around eight pence of each pound you pay.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Ashford?
£2,410.16 a year in 2026/27, or £241.02 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Ashford?
Band B: 13,960 of 59,780 homes (23%). A Band B bill is £1,874.57 in 2026/27.
How much has Ashford council tax gone up?
4.3% this year, from £2,311.19 to £2,410.16 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 57%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Ashford?
District council £199.37; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,758.60; Police and crime commissioner £285.15; Fire and rescue authority £99.81; Parish/town council (average) £67.23 (Band D, 2026/27).
How do I find my council tax band?
Search your postcode on GOV.UK “Check your Council Tax band”, run by the Valuation Office Agency. You can challenge your band if you think it is wrong.
What is the maximum Council Tax Reduction in Ashford for 2026/27?
90% of the bill for working-age claimants, up from 80% before April 2026. Pension-age claimants can still get up to 100% under the national scheme.
What savings limit applies to Council Tax Reduction in Ashford?
£10,000 for working-age claimants and £16,000 for pension-age claimants.
Do holiday lets in Ashford pay the second homes premium?
Yes, unless a national exception applies, for example a planning condition that bans year-round occupation. Otherwise a home that is not anyone's main residence pays 200%.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- MHCLG: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027
- MHCLG: Council Tax levels 2026-27, Tables 1 to 9 (ODS)
- MHCLG: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027, Table 10 local authority level data
- MHCLG: Council Tax levels 2025-26 (revised), Table 10 Local Authority Level Data (ODS), used for England % change
- VOA / GOV.UK: Understand how Council Tax bands are assessed
- GOV.UK: Council Tax – who has to pay (single person discount)
- MHCLG: Band D Council Tax figures 1993 onwards, Table 5 area Band D (live table, 2026-27 revised)
- VOA: Council Tax stock of properties 2026, Table CTSOP1.0 (properties by band at 31 March 2026, England and Wales)
- Ashford Borough Council – Changes to our Council Tax Reduction scheme from April 2026
- Ashford Borough Council – Council Tax premium charges
- Ashford Borough Council – Council Tax 2026/27