Braintree Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Braintree is £2,280.34 for 2026/27, up 3.9% (£85.67) on last year. That is £111.18 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 45th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (29%), so the average bill per home is about £2,208.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, East of England · Official England government statistics
Braintree council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,520.23 | £152.02 | £126.69 | £1,140.17 | 6,290 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,773.60 | £177.36 | £147.80 | £1,330.20 | 17,680 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,026.97 | £202.70 | £168.91 | £1,520.23 | 20,520 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,280.34 | £228.03 | £190.03 | £1,710.26 | 11,080 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,787.08 | £278.71 | £232.26 | £2,090.31 | 8,340 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,293.82 | £329.38 | £274.49 | £2,470.37 | 5,070 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,800.57 | £380.06 | £316.71 | £2,850.43 | 2,540 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,560.68 | £456.07 | £380.06 | £3,420.51 | 240 |
- Braintree
- England average
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Where your Braintree council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Braintree but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,280.34 Band D charge, £206.01 (9%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £206.01 | 9.0% | £183.12 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,641.96 | 72.0% | £1,459.52 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £275.31 | 12.1% | £244.72 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £92.52 | 4.1% | £82.24 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £64.54 | 2.8% | £57.37 |
- District council £206 9.0%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,642 72.0%
- Police and crime commissioner £275 12.1%
- Fire and rescue authority £93 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £65 2.8%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Braintree; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Braintree council tax history
Band D in Braintree has risen from £1,550.36 in 2016/17 to £2,280.34 in 2026/27 — 47% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 22.9%, the 262nd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Braintree Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,280.34 | +3.9% | £2,026.97 |
| 2025/26 | £2,194.67 | +4.0% | £1,950.82 |
| 2024/25 | £2,109.51 | +4.9% | £1,875.12 |
| 2023/24 | £2,010.38 | +4.0% | £1,787.00 |
| 2022/23 | £1,933.05 | +4.2% | £1,718.27 |
| 2021/22 | £1,854.90 | +1.7% | £1,648.80 |
| 2020/21 | £1,823.57 | +3.7% | £1,620.95 |
| 2019/20 | £1,757.70 | +4.9% | £1,562.40 |
| 2018/19 | £1,675.32 | +4.9% | £1,489.17 |
| 2017/18 | £1,597.12 | +3.0% | £1,419.66 |
| 2016/17 | £1,550.36 | – | £1,378.10 |
Homes by council tax band in Braintree
Braintree has 71,760 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 33% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,026.97 a year (£202.70 a month over 10 instalments).
Braintree compared with East of England
Braintree is the 6th cheapest of 45 councils in East of England, where the average Band D across councils is £2,391.20 (£110.86 more than here). Cheapest: Thurrock (£2,254.68); most expensive: Huntingdonshire (£2,556.40).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Southend-on-Sea | £2,265.17 | +5.1% |
| Tendring | £2,269.63 | +4.2% |
| Epping Forest | £2,277.21 | +4.1% |
| Braintree | £2,280.34 | +3.9% |
| Colchester | £2,282.85 | +4.1% |
| Peterborough | £2,293.47 | +4.9% |
| Harlow | £2,298.69 | +3.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Braintree drops from £2,026.97 to £1,520.23.
- Council Tax Reduction: Braintree 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).
Braintree's 3.9% 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.
Where a Braintree Band D bill goes
Braintree District Council's 2026/27 council tax guide breaks a Band D bill down as £206.01 for the district council, £1,641.96 for Essex County Council, £275.31 for the Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (policing) and £92.52 for Essex Fire and Rescue. Town and parish charges come on top and vary a lot. At Band D, Little Yeldham and Ovington add £39.99, Coggeshall £127.78 and Wickham St Paul £150.91.
Instalments start on 1 April. You can pay over 10 months (April to January), 12 months (April to March), or in two halves in April and September. Non-direct-debit payers can ask for a different payment day in the month.
Council Tax Support: a banded scheme with a £10,000 savings limit
Since 1 April 2024, working-age claimants and anyone on Universal Credit have been assessed under an income-banded discount scheme. The 2026/27 version sets the band from weekly household income and household size. If you or your partner get Income Support, income-related ESA or income-based JSA, you are placed straight in Band 1 of the discount table. You cannot get any support with savings of £10,000 or more. Pension-age claimants not on a working-age benefit are assessed under the national rules.
Empty homes and second homes
Braintree gives no discount on empty unfurnished homes. The council's guide says 764 homes in the district had been empty for more than a year. Since 1 April 2024 a 100% premium applies after one year, rising to 200% after five years and 300% after ten. The premium follows the property, not the owner. In Braintree's most common band, Band C (20,520 homes), a home empty for over a year pays about £4,053.94 instead of £2,026.97.
From 1 April 2025 a 100% premium has been added to second homes. Under Braintree's 2026/27 policy, a home that someone has to live in for their job still gets the 50% discount required by law.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Braintree?
£2,280.34 a year in 2026/27, or £228.03 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Braintree?
Band C: 20,520 of 71,760 homes (29%). A Band C bill is £2,026.97 in 2026/27.
How much has Braintree council tax gone up?
3.9% this year, from £2,194.67 to £2,280.34 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 47%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Braintree?
District council £206.01; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,641.96; Police and crime commissioner £275.31; Fire and rescue authority £92.52; Parish/town council (average) £64.54 (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 savings limit for Council Tax Support in Braintree?
Working-age claimants get nothing with savings of £10,000 or more. Pension-age claimants follow the national £16,000 limit.
Can I pay Braintree council tax twice a year?
Yes. Besides 10 or 12 monthly instalments, you can pay in two halves, in April and September.
How much is the Braintree District Council part of a Band D bill?
£206.01 in 2026/27, out of a total that also includes Essex County Council (£1,641.96), policing (£275.31), fire (£92.52) and any parish charge.
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)
- Braintree District Council – Your guide to Council Tax 2026-2027 (PDF)
- Braintree District Council – Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2026-27 (PDF)
- Braintree District Council – Council Tax support: working age and Universal Credit claimants
- Braintree District Council – Empty homes and second homes policy 2026-27 (PDF)
- Braintree District Council – Pay Council Tax