Bath and North East Somerset Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Bath and North East Somerset is £2,383.42 for 2026/27, up 5.2% (£117.62) on last year. That is £8.10 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 109th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (25%), so the average bill per home is about £2,356.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South West · Official England government statistics
Bath and North East Somerset council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,588.95 | £158.89 | £132.41 | £1,191.71 | 9,540 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,853.77 | £185.38 | £154.48 | £1,390.33 | 19,690 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,118.60 | £211.86 | £176.55 | £1,588.95 | 21,480 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,383.42 | £238.34 | £198.62 | £1,787.57 | 14,580 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,913.07 | £291.31 | £242.76 | £2,184.80 | 10,520 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,442.72 | £344.27 | £286.89 | £2,582.04 | 6,010 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,972.37 | £397.24 | £331.03 | £2,979.28 | 5,220 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,766.84 | £476.68 | £397.24 | £3,575.13 | 460 |
- Bath and North East Somerset
- England average
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Where your Bath and North East Somerset council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Bath and North East Somerset but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,383.42 Band D charge, £1,914.03 (80%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,877.57 | 78.8% | £1,668.95 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £36.46 | 1.5% | £32.41 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £308.20 | 12.9% | £273.96 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £95.43 | 4.0% | £84.83 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £65.76 | 2.8% | £58.45 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,878 78.8%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £308 12.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £95 4.0%
- Parish/town council (average) £66 2.8%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Bath and North East Somerset; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Bath and North East Somerset council tax history
Band D in Bath and North East Somerset has risen from £1,523.89 in 2016/17 to £2,383.42 in 2026/27 — 56% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.0%, the 99th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Bath and North East Somerset Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,383.42 | +5.2% | £2,118.60 |
| 2025/26 | £2,265.80 | +5.1% | £2,014.04 |
| 2024/25 | £2,155.39 | +5.0% | £1,915.90 |
| 2023/24 | £2,052.09 | +5.2% | £1,824.08 |
| 2022/23 | £1,949.75 | +3.1% | £1,733.11 |
| 2021/22 | £1,891.36 | +4.9% | £1,681.21 |
| 2020/21 | £1,802.83 | +4.0% | £1,602.52 |
| 2019/20 | £1,733.93 | +5.0% | £1,541.27 |
| 2018/19 | £1,652.06 | +5.0% | £1,468.50 |
| 2017/18 | £1,572.98 | +3.2% | £1,398.20 |
| 2016/17 | £1,523.89 | – | £1,354.57 |
Homes by council tax band in Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset has 87,500 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 33% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,118.60 a year (£211.86 a month over 10 instalments).
Bath and North East Somerset compared with South West
Bath and North East Somerset is the 5th cheapest of 27 councils in South West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,511.40 (£127.98 more than here). Cheapest: Isles of Scilly (£2,047.96); most expensive: Dorset (£2,765.02).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Tewkesbury | £2,340.53 | +5.1% |
| Gloucester | £2,355.84 | +4.9% |
| Cheltenham | £2,369.52 | +4.9% |
| Bath and North East Somerset | £2,383.42 | +5.2% |
| Cotswold | £2,391.65 | +5% |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | £2,435.58 | +7.5% |
| Swindon | £2,438.10 | +5.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Bath and North East Somerset drops from £2,118.60 to £1,588.95.
- Council Tax Reduction: Bath and North East Somerset 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).
Bath and North East Somerset's 5.2% 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.
What B&NES decided for 2026/27
Bath & North East Somerset Council raised its share by 4.99%, including 2% ring-fenced for adult social care. Its Band D element is £1,914.03, up £90.97 (£1.75 a week). Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner added £15 at Band D and Avon Fire Authority £5. Town and parish charges average £65.76 at Band D but range from £0 to £236.13, so two neighbouring villages can have quite different bills.
The council set a net budget of £193,168,132. It says it is facing a £12.5 million cut over three years from the government's Fair Funding review. Council tax brings in £136.5 million, which is 28.5% of the council's gross income.
Community Contribution and other local features
- B&NES runs a voluntary Community Contribution scheme. You can choose to pay extra, separate from council tax, into a fund for local charity, community and voluntary groups. The minimum is £5 and there is no maximum.
- If a home becomes uninhabitable because of fire or flood, B&NES can give up to 100% off for up to six months. The home must have been vacated on the day of the fire or flood and stayed empty.
- Direct debits are taken on the 1st or 15th of the month. The council prefers 10 instalments but will collect over 12.
- Unoccupied-property exemptions start from the date you tell the council and cannot be backdated, so report an empty home straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Bath and North East Somerset?
£2,383.42 a year in 2026/27, or £238.34 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Bath and North East Somerset?
Band C: 21,480 of 87,500 homes (25%). A Band C bill is £2,118.60 in 2026/27.
How much has Bath and North East Somerset council tax gone up?
5.2% this year, from £2,265.80 to £2,383.42 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 56%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Bath and North East Somerset?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,877.57; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36.46; Police and crime commissioner £308.20; Fire and rescue authority £95.43; Parish/town council (average) £65.76 (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.
How much did Bath & North East Somerset Council raise council tax in 2026/27?
By 4.99%, so its Band D element is £1,914.03. With police, fire and average parish charges the Band D total is £2,383.42.
What is the B&NES Community Contribution scheme?
A voluntary payment, separate from council tax, into a fund for local good causes. The minimum is £5.
Which direct debit dates does B&NES offer?
The 1st or the 15th of the month.
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)
- Bath & North East Somerset Council – Your Council Tax 2026-27
- Bath & North East Somerset Council – Paying your Council Tax
- Bath & North East Somerset Council – Exemptions for unoccupied properties