Bracknell Forest Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Bracknell Forest is £2,264.80 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£109.59) on last year. That is £126.72 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 37th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (36%), so the average bill per home is about £2,367.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South East · Official England government statistics
Bracknell Forest council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,509.87 | £150.99 | £125.82 | £1,132.40 | 1,630 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,761.51 | £176.15 | £146.79 | £1,321.13 | 5,670 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,013.16 | £201.32 | £167.76 | £1,509.87 | 20,000 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,264.80 | £226.48 | £188.73 | £1,698.60 | 10,580 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,768.09 | £276.81 | £230.67 | £2,076.07 | 8,760 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,271.38 | £327.14 | £272.61 | £2,453.53 | 5,510 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,774.67 | £377.47 | £314.56 | £2,831.00 | 2,720 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,529.60 | £452.96 | £377.47 | £3,397.20 | 310 |
- Bracknell Forest
- England average
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Where your Bracknell Forest council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Bracknell Forest but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,264.80 Band D charge, £1,781.46 (79%) 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) | £1,747.52 | 77.2% | £1,553.35 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £33.94 | 1.5% | £30.17 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £298.28 | 13.2% | £265.14 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £91.31 | 4.0% | £81.16 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £93.75 | 4.1% | £83.33 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,748 77.2%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £34 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £298 13.2%
- Fire and rescue authority £91 4.0%
- Parish/town council (average) £94 4.1%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Bracknell Forest; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Bracknell Forest council tax history
Band D in Bracknell Forest has risen from £1,433.37 in 2016/17 to £2,264.80 in 2026/27 — 58% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 27.1%, the 58th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Bracknell Forest Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,264.80 | +5.1% | £2,013.16 |
| 2025/26 | £2,155.21 | +5.1% | £1,915.74 |
| 2024/25 | £2,051.30 | +4.8% | £1,823.38 |
| 2023/24 | £1,956.79 | +5.2% | £1,739.37 |
| 2022/23 | £1,860.91 | +4.5% | £1,654.14 |
| 2021/22 | £1,781.57 | +3.8% | £1,583.62 |
| 2020/21 | £1,716.03 | +4.0% | £1,525.36 |
| 2019/20 | £1,649.56 | +4.1% | £1,466.28 |
| 2018/19 | £1,584.44 | +5.8% | £1,408.39 |
| 2017/18 | £1,497.99 | +4.5% | £1,331.55 |
| 2016/17 | £1,433.37 | – | £1,274.11 |
Homes by council tax band in Bracknell Forest
Bracknell Forest has 55,180 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 13% 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 C, which costs £2,013.16 a year (£201.32 a month over 10 instalments).
Bracknell Forest compared with South East
Bracknell Forest is the 3rd cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£210.65 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Windsor and Maidenhead | £1,952.62 | +7.1% |
| Basingstoke and Deane | £2,255.21 | +5% |
| Bracknell Forest | £2,264.80 | +5.1% |
| Fareham | £2,270.55 | +4.9% |
| Portsmouth | £2,291.71 | +5.1% |
| Test Valley | £2,305.52 | +5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Bracknell Forest drops from £2,013.16 to £1,509.87.
- Council Tax Reduction: Bracknell Forest 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).
Bracknell Forest'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.
The 2026/27 budget and the £50 support top-up
Bracknell Forest Council agreed its 2026/27 budget on 25 February 2026 and raised council tax by 4.99%. It says it got the lowest funding settlement of any unitary council: grant support falls by £18 million, and its resources grow by only 0.16% over three years. The council faced a £10.1 million gap. It is making £3.3 million of savings, including ending the 299, 598 and 151/151A bus services and delaying kerbside glass collection to March 2027, and using more than £5 million of reserves.
For the lowest-income households, every working-age and pensioner household getting Council Tax Support has another £50 taken off its 2026/27 bill.
| Parish | Borough council | Parish precept | Police and fire | Band D total 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binfield | £1,781.46 | £67.24 | £389.59 | £2,238.29 |
| Bracknell | £1,781.46 | £110.51 | £389.59 | £2,281.56 |
| Crowthorne | £1,781.46 | £108.20 | £389.59 | £2,279.25 |
| Sandhurst | £1,781.46 | £84.95 | £389.59 | £2,256.00 |
| Warfield | £1,781.46 | £63.40 | £389.59 | £2,234.45 |
| Winkfield | £1,781.46 | £86.91 | £389.59 | £2,257.96 |
How the income-banded support scheme works
Working-age claimants are put in a band by weekly income, and the band sets the percentage off. The top band, 80%, is for "vulnerable" households, mainly those getting a disability-related premium, with income of £440 or less. Other households get 75% if their income is £80 or less or they get a qualifying benefit. Support then falls in steps to 20% for incomes of £380.01 to £440. Above £440 there is no support.
Example: a non-vulnerable person living alone with £150 a week of assessed income is in band 4 (60%). In Bracknell Forest's most common band, Band C (£2,013.16), the 25% single person discount comes off first, leaving £1,509.87. Support of 60% is worked out on that figure, so they would pay £553.95 after the extra £50 off.
- Self-employed claimants trading for over a year are treated as earning at least £203.36 a week (lone parents) or £305.04 a week (others) in 2026/27.
- Capital between £6,000 and £16,000 adds £1 a week of income for every £250 over £6,000. Above £16,000 you cannot claim.
- Backdating is possible for up to 3 months, but only if you show "continuous good cause".
Premiums and payment dates
Second homes pay double council tax, as do homes left empty and unfurnished for over a year. Direct debits are taken on the 1st or 20th of the month, over 10 or 12 instalments.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Bracknell Forest?
£2,264.80 a year in 2026/27, or £226.48 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Bracknell Forest?
Band C: 20,000 of 55,180 homes (36%). A Band C bill is £2,013.16 in 2026/27.
How much has Bracknell Forest council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,155.21 to £2,264.80 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 58%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Bracknell Forest?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,747.52; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £33.94; Police and crime commissioner £298.28; Fire and rescue authority £91.31; Parish/town council (average) £93.75 (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 Bracknell Forest?
80% for vulnerable working-age households with income of £440 a week or less, and 75% for other low-income households. Every claimant also gets an extra £50 off in 2026/27.
Which direct debit dates does Bracknell Forest offer?
The 1st or the 20th of the month.
Why did Bracknell Forest raise council tax by 4.99%?
The council says it got the lowest funding settlement of any unitary authority, with grant falling by £18 million, and faced a £10.1 million gap in 2026/27.
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)
- Bracknell Forest Council – Council agrees balanced budget to protect vital services (February 2026)
- Bracknell Forest Council – How your money is spent 2026 to 2027
- Bracknell Forest Council – About the Council Tax Support scheme
- Bracknell Forest Council – Second homes and empty properties
- Bracknell Forest Council – Pay your Council Tax