Blackpool Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Blackpool is £2,513.22 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£121.01) on last year. That is £121.70 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 212th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (44%), so the average bill per home is about £1,966.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, North West · Official England government statistics
Blackpool council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,675.48 | £167.55 | £139.62 | £1,256.61 | 32,130 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,954.73 | £195.47 | £162.89 | £1,466.04 | 21,310 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,233.97 | £223.40 | £186.16 | £1,675.48 | 11,520 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,513.22 | £251.32 | £209.43 | £1,884.92 | 4,880 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,071.71 | £307.17 | £255.98 | £2,303.79 | 1,970 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,630.21 | £363.02 | £302.52 | £2,722.65 | 580 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,188.70 | £418.87 | £349.06 | £3,141.52 | 250 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,026.44 | £502.64 | £418.87 | £3,769.83 | 30 |
- Blackpool
- England average
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Where your Blackpool council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Blackpool but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,513.22 Band D charge, £2,126.09 (85%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,085.63 | 83.0% | £1,390.42 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £40.46 | 1.6% | £26.97 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £292.40 | 11.6% | £194.93 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £94.73 | 3.8% | £63.15 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,086 83.0%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £40 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £292 11.6%
- Fire and rescue authority £95 3.8%
Blackpool council tax history
Band D in Blackpool has risen from £1,585.77 in 2016/17 to £2,513.22 in 2026/27 — 58% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.8%, the 110th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Blackpool Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,513.22 | +5.1% | £1,675.48 |
| 2025/26 | £2,392.21 | +5.1% | £1,594.81 |
| 2024/25 | £2,277.00 | +4.9% | £1,518.00 |
| 2023/24 | £2,170.95 | +5.2% | £1,447.30 |
| 2022/23 | £2,063.64 | +3.3% | £1,375.76 |
| 2021/22 | £1,997.85 | +5.1% | £1,331.90 |
| 2020/21 | £1,900.70 | +4.0% | £1,267.13 |
| 2019/20 | £1,827.24 | +4.1% | £1,218.16 |
| 2018/19 | £1,756.05 | +6.0% | £1,170.70 |
| 2017/18 | £1,656.70 | +4.5% | £1,104.47 |
| 2016/17 | £1,585.77 | – | £1,057.18 |
Homes by council tax band in Blackpool
Blackpool has 72,670 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 74% 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 £1,675.48 a year (£167.55 a month over 10 instalments).
Blackpool compared with North West
Blackpool is the 23rd cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£30.00 less than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | £2,503.19 | +4% |
| Westmorland and Furness | £2,507.99 | +5% |
| Cumberland | £2,511.32 | +4.9% |
| Blackpool | £2,513.22 | +5.1% |
| Cheshire West and Chester | £2,517.33 | +5.2% |
| Rossendale | £2,519.97 | +3.9% |
| Burnley | £2,549.42 | +3.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Blackpool drops from £1,675.48 to £1,256.61.
- Council Tax Reduction: Blackpool 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).
Blackpool's 5.1% 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.
How Blackpool's Council Tax Reduction is cut for working-age claimants
Blackpool works out Council Tax Reduction in the usual means-tested way, then cuts the result for anyone under state pension age. The standard cut is 27.11%. It is 13.56% if you or your partner are a lone parent with a child under 5, get DLA or PIP (any rate), income-based or contribution-based JSA or ESA, or Universal Credit while not working or with limited capability for work.
Worked example: a working-age claimant with no other income in a Band A home (£1,675.48) would get £1,221.26 off and still pay £454.22. If they get PIP, they pay £227.20. Pensioners are not cut unless their partner is under pension age.
If you still cannot pay, Blackpool has a discretionary discount. You normally need to meet a condition such as having a child under 5, already working full time, waiting to start a job, being pregnant, or getting ESA with the support component. You also need to show hardship and that you have no other assets to use.
Premiums, including on furnished lets between tenants
Blackpool first brought in premiums in 2016. Since 1 April 2025 it charges a 100% premium on second homes, including holiday homes and short-term holiday lets whose guests live elsewhere. It also charges the premium on a furnished rental flat left empty between tenants, unless an exception applies.
Empty unfurnished homes pay 100% extra after one year, 200% after five and 300% after ten. Blackpool is more generous than the national minimum in two cases. A new owner of a long-term empty home pays no premium for 12 months from the sale. Personal representatives after a death get two years from probate, rather than the usual 12 months. A Band A home left empty for six years would cost £5,026.44.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Blackpool?
£2,513.22 a year in 2026/27, or £251.32 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Blackpool?
Band A: 32,130 of 72,670 homes (44%). A Band A bill is £1,675.48 in 2026/27.
How much has Blackpool council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,392.21 to £2,513.22 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 58%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Blackpool?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,085.63; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £40.46; Police and crime commissioner £292.40; Fire and rescue authority £94.73 (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.
How much is Council Tax Reduction cut in Blackpool for working-age people?
By 27.11%, or 13.56% if you or your partner get a qualifying benefit such as PIP, DLA, ESA or non-working Universal Credit, or are a lone parent with a child under 5.
Do Blackpool holiday lets pay a second homes premium?
Yes. Since April 2025 short-term holiday lets and furnished rentals between tenants pay a 100% premium, unless a planning condition limits the property to holiday use or another exception applies.
Can I pay Blackpool council tax in person at the council offices?
No. Cash payments go through the Post Office, PayPoint or your bank. You can also pay by direct debit, card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or by phone on 01253 478983.
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)
- Blackpool Council – Council tax reduction scheme
- Blackpool Council – Council Tax premiums
- Blackpool Council – Pay Council tax