Barnet Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Barnet is £2,132.60 for 2026/27, up 4.8% (£97.08) on last year. That is £258.92 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 16th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band D (25%), so the average bill per home is about £2,465.
Updated 2026-10-03 · London borough, London · Official England government statistics
Barnet council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,421.73 | £142.17 | £118.48 | £1,066.30 | 3,450 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,658.69 | £165.87 | £138.22 | £1,244.02 | 9,540 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £1,895.64 | £189.56 | £157.97 | £1,421.73 | 33,220 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,132.60 | £213.26 | £177.72 | £1,599.45 | 40,640 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,606.51 | £260.65 | £217.21 | £1,954.88 | 34,450 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,080.42 | £308.04 | £256.70 | £2,310.32 | 20,490 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,554.33 | £355.43 | £296.19 | £2,665.75 | 16,830 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,265.20 | £426.52 | £355.43 | £3,198.90 | 4,350 |
- Barnet
- England average
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Where your Barnet council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Barnet but shared between 3 bodies. Of the £2,132.60 Band D charge, £1,622.09 (76%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for greater london authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,591.19 | 74.6% | £1,591.19 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £30.90 | 1.4% | £30.90 |
| Greater London Authority | £510.51 | 23.9% | £510.51 |
- Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,591 74.6%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £31 1.4%
- Greater London Authority £511 23.9%
Barnet council tax history
Band D in Barnet has risen from £1,397.07 in 2016/17 to £2,132.60 in 2026/27 — 53% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.4%, the 140th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Barnet Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,132.60 | +4.8% | £2,132.60 |
| 2025/26 | £2,035.52 | +4.7% | £2,035.52 |
| 2024/25 | £1,943.24 | +5.8% | £1,943.24 |
| 2023/24 | £1,836.17 | +5.1% | £1,836.17 |
| 2022/23 | £1,746.29 | +2.7% | £1,746.29 |
| 2021/22 | £1,700.99 | +5.9% | £1,700.99 |
| 2020/21 | £1,605.84 | +3.9% | £1,605.84 |
| 2019/20 | £1,545.41 | +4.2% | £1,545.41 |
| 2018/19 | £1,483.57 | +3.4% | £1,483.57 |
| 2017/18 | £1,434.72 | +2.7% | £1,434.72 |
| 2016/17 | £1,397.07 | – | £1,397.07 |
Homes by council tax band in Barnet
Barnet has 162,970 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 8% are in Bands A or B, fewer than in most areas — homes here are concentrated in the middle and upper bands. The most common band is D, which costs £2,132.60 a year (£213.26 a month over 10 instalments).
Barnet compared with London
Barnet is the 14th cheapest of 33 councils in London, where the average Band D across councils is £2,090.08 (£42.52 less than here). Cheapest: Wandsworth (£1,028.21); most expensive: Kingston upon Thames (£2,609.20).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Hackney | £2,060.30 | +4.8% |
| Greenwich | £2,107.86 | +4.8% |
| Islington | £2,108.15 | +4.8% |
| Barnet | £2,132.60 | +4.8% |
| Ealing | £2,138.53 | +4.8% |
| Bromley | £2,140.04 | +4.8% |
| Merton | £2,146.76 | +2.5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band D bill in Barnet drops from £2,132.60 to £1,599.45.
- Council Tax Reduction: Barnet 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).
Barnet's 4.8% 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.
Barnet's earnings-banded Council Tax Support
Barnet bases working-age Council Tax Support on your monthly earnings. The most anyone of working age can get is 70% off, which is for households with no earnings. If your home is in Band D or above, the discount is worked out on a Band C bill, so larger homes pay more of their charge themselves.
Worked example for 2026/27: a working-age claimant with no earnings in a Band C home (£1,895.64) gets 70% off and pays £568.69. In a Band E home (£2,606.51) the 70% is applied to the Band C charge, so they pay £1,279.56.
- Savings must be under £6,000 for working-age claimants (pensioners: £16,000). Pensioners can get up to 100%.
- War pensioners, war widowers and people receiving Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments are a protected group and are assessed like pensioners.
- Self-employed people earning less than the London Living Wage are assessed as if they earned it.
- Each non-dependant adult cuts support by £5 a week if they earn under £200 a week, or £11 a week if they earn more, unless you or your partner get PIP, middle or highest rate DLA, or a carer premium.
| Monthly earnings | Maximum discount | Band C bill left to pay (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| No earnings | 70% | £568.69 |
| Up to £500 | 50% | £947.82 |
| £500.01 to £800 | 40% | £1,137.39 |
| £800.01 to £1,400 | 25% | £1,421.73 |
| £1,400.01 to £2,000 | 12% | £1,668.17 |
| £2,000.01 and over | None | £1,895.64 |
Second homes, empty homes and care leavers in Barnet
Since 1 April 2025 Barnet has charged a 100% premium on second homes, including furnished flats left empty between tenants, so a Band D second home pays £4,265.20. Barnet gives no discount on second homes at all. For unfurnished empty homes, Barnet's own page shows the usual charge in the first year, double from two to four years and triple from five years. Owners of homes empty for six months or more may be able to get a grant of up to £40,000 towards renovation.
Barnet care leavers aged 18 to 24 who were looked after by Barnet for at least 13 weeks can get up to 100% off until they turn 25. It is not automatic: you must claim Council Tax Support and any other discount first, then ask your Leaving Care Personal Adviser to apply.
Direct debits can be collected on the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th or 25th, and you can spread the bill over 10, 11 or 12 months.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Barnet?
£2,132.60 a year in 2026/27, or £213.26 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Barnet?
Band D: 40,640 of 162,970 homes (25%). A Band D bill is £2,132.60 in 2026/27.
How much has Barnet council tax gone up?
4.8% this year, from £2,035.52 to £2,132.60 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 53%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Barnet?
Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,591.19; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £30.90; Greater London Authority £510.51 (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 Support in Barnet?
70% for working-age households with no earnings, worked out on no more than a Band C charge. Pensioners and protected groups such as war pensioners can get up to 100%.
Does Barnet charge double council tax on second homes?
Yes. Since 1 April 2025 second homes, including furnished homes between tenants, pay a 100% premium: £4,265.20 at Band D in 2026/27.
Can I pay Barnet council tax over 11 months?
Yes. Direct debit payers can choose 10, 11 or 12 monthly instalments.
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)
- Barnet Council – Council Tax Support for those on a low income or benefits
- Barnet Council – Second homes and unoccupied properties
- Barnet Council – Care leaver Council Tax discount
- Barnet Council – How to pay your Council Tax