Birmingham Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Birmingham is £2,362.90 for 2026/27, up 5.2% (£117.49) on last year. That is £28.62 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 96th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (35%), so the average bill per home is about £1,960.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, West Midlands · Official England government statistics
Birmingham council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,575.27 | £157.53 | £131.27 | £1,181.45 | 165,250 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,837.81 | £183.78 | £153.15 | £1,378.36 | 133,070 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,100.36 | £210.04 | £175.03 | £1,575.27 | 86,290 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,362.90 | £236.29 | £196.91 | £1,772.18 | 45,190 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,887.99 | £288.80 | £240.67 | £2,165.99 | 23,620 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,413.08 | £341.31 | £284.42 | £2,559.81 | 9,160 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,938.17 | £393.82 | £328.18 | £2,953.63 | 5,960 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,725.80 | £472.58 | £393.82 | £3,544.35 | 930 |
- Birmingham
- England average
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Where your Birmingham council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Birmingham but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,362.90 Band D charge, £2,023.48 (86%) 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 A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,984.93 | 84.0% | £1,323.29 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £38.55 | 1.6% | £25.70 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £244.50 | 10.3% | £163.00 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £85.19 | 3.6% | £56.79 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £9.73 | 0.4% | £6.49 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,985 84.0%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £39 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £245 10.3%
- Fire and rescue authority £85 3.6%
- Parish/town council (average) £10 0.4%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Birmingham; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Birmingham council tax history
Band D in Birmingham has risen from £1,380.05 in 2016/17 to £2,362.90 in 2026/27 — 71% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 34.6%, the 2nd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Birmingham Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,362.90 | +5.2% | £1,575.27 |
| 2025/26 | £2,245.41 | +7.4% | £1,496.94 |
| 2024/25 | £2,090.96 | +9.3% | £1,393.97 |
| 2023/24 | £1,913.02 | +5.4% | £1,275.35 |
| 2022/23 | £1,815.55 | +3.4% | £1,210.37 |
| 2021/22 | £1,755.54 | +5.3% | £1,170.36 |
| 2020/21 | £1,667.75 | +4.1% | £1,111.83 |
| 2019/20 | £1,601.48 | +6.0% | £1,067.65 |
| 2018/19 | £1,510.23 | +4.4% | £1,006.82 |
| 2017/18 | £1,446.15 | +4.8% | £964.10 |
| 2016/17 | £1,380.05 | – | £920.03 |
Homes by council tax band in Birmingham
Birmingham has 469,470 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 64% are in Bands A or B, so for most households the real bill is well below the Band D figure. The most common band is A, which costs £1,575.27 a year (£157.53 a month over 10 instalments).
Birmingham compared with West Midlands
Birmingham is the 13th cheapest of 30 councils in West Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,399.67 (£36.77 more than here). Cheapest: Dudley (£2,144.84); most expensive: Walsall (£2,627.48).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire Moorlands | £2,338.21 | +4.4% |
| East Staffordshire | £2,351.34 | +4.2% |
| Lichfield | £2,351.90 | +4.1% |
| Birmingham | £2,362.90 | +5.2% |
| Wychavon | £2,373.19 | +7.8% |
| Cannock Chase | £2,375.83 | +4.1% |
| Worcester | £2,405.81 | +7.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Birmingham drops from £1,575.27 to £1,181.45.
- Council Tax Reduction: Birmingham 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).
Birmingham'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.
Back to a 4.99% rise after two above-limit years
Birmingham City Council raised council tax above the usual referendum limit in each of the two previous years. For 2026/27 it went back to the normal maximum of 4.99% (2.99% general plus 2% adult social care). In the council's budget booklet, Leader John Cotton says the "bankrupt Birmingham" tag "is now a thing of the past" and that there would not be a third above-limit rise.
The booklet shows the city's own Band D charge going from £1,927.31 to £2,023.48. West Midlands Fire adds £85.19 (+6.24%) and the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner adds £244.50 (+6.54%), giving £2,353.17 (+5.19%). Exceptional Financial Support from government fell from £11.014 million in 2025/26 to nothing in 2026/27. Only two parts of the city pay a local precept on top: New Frankley in Birmingham Parish Council adds £34.76 at Band D, and Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council adds £69.96, making a Band D bill of £2,423.13 in Sutton Coldfield.
Council Tax Support: an 80% cap with protected groups
Working-age claimants in Birmingham have support worked out on 80% of their bill, so everyone pays at least 20%. On a Band B bill of £1,837.81 that minimum is £367.56 a year. Support is worked out on 100% of the bill if you or your partner are a pensioner, get a disability, severe disability, enhanced disability or disabled child premium, get ESA with a qualifying disability benefit, qualify for a carer premium, receive a war disablement or war widow's pension, or have a child aged 5 or under.
The council says about a quarter of its 468,000 households can get support, and about 70,000 pay no council tax at all. Universal Credit claimants must apply separately at birmingham.gov.uk/CTS. Claims can be backdated by up to one month.
Second homes and long-term empty homes
- Second homes: 100% premium from April 2025, so £4,725.80 a year at Band D.
- Empty and unfurnished: 100% premium after one year (since 1 April 2024), 200% after five years and 300% after ten. A Band A home empty for ten years pays £6,301.07.
- The premium stays with the property when it is sold. Exceptions include 12 months while marketed for sale or let and 12 months after probate.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Birmingham?
£2,362.90 a year in 2026/27, or £236.29 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Birmingham?
Band A: 165,250 of 469,470 homes (35%). A Band A bill is £1,575.27 in 2026/27.
How much has Birmingham council tax gone up?
5.2% this year, from £2,245.41 to £2,362.90 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 71%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Birmingham?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,984.93; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38.55; Police and crime commissioner £244.50; Fire and rescue authority £85.19; Parish/town council (average) £9.73 (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.
Did Birmingham council tax go up by more than 5% in 2026/27?
The city council's own share rose 4.99%. With higher fire and police precepts, the Band D total rose 5.19% to £2,353.17 (before parish or town council charges).
How much Council Tax Support can a working-age person get in Birmingham?
Support is worked out on 80% of the bill, unless you are in a protected group (disability, carer, war pension, or a child aged 5 or under). Protected groups get it worked out on 100%.
Does Birmingham charge extra on second homes?
Yes. Since April 2025 second homes pay a 100% premium, which doubles the bill.
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)
- Birmingham City Council – Budget for Birmingham: Council Tax help and information booklet 2026 to 2027 (PDF)
- Birmingham City Council – Who can get Council Tax Support
- Birmingham City Council – Council Tax Support information sheet (PDF)
- Birmingham City Council – How to pay your Council Tax