Brighton and Hove Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Brighton and Hove is £2,580.54 for 2026/27, up 5% (£123.76) on last year. That is £189.02 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 249th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (26%), so the average bill per home is about £2,318.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South East · Official England government statistics
Brighton and Hove council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,720.36 | £172.04 | £143.36 | £1,290.27 | 30,030 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,007.09 | £200.71 | £167.26 | £1,505.32 | 30,680 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,293.81 | £229.38 | £191.15 | £1,720.36 | 35,630 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,580.54 | £258.05 | £215.05 | £1,935.41 | 20,830 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,153.99 | £315.40 | £262.83 | £2,365.50 | 11,740 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,727.45 | £372.74 | £310.62 | £2,795.59 | 4,850 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,300.90 | £430.09 | £358.41 | £3,225.68 | 2,840 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,161.08 | £516.11 | £430.09 | £3,870.81 | 220 |
- Brighton and Hove
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Brighton and Hove council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Brighton and Hove but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,580.54 Band D charge, £2,180.42 (84%) 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) | £2,138.90 | 82.9% | £1,901.24 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £41.52 | 1.6% | £36.91 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £281.91 | 10.9% | £250.59 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £117.49 | 4.6% | £104.44 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £0.72 | 0.0% | £0.64 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,139 82.9%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £42 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £282 10.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £117 4.6%
- Parish/town council (average) £1 0.0%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Brighton and Hove; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Brighton and Hove council tax history
Band D in Brighton and Hove has risen from £1,628.48 in 2016/17 to £2,580.54 in 2026/27 — 58% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.6%, the 128th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Brighton and Hove Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,580.54 | +5.0% | £2,293.81 |
| 2025/26 | £2,456.78 | +5.0% | £2,183.80 |
| 2024/25 | £2,339.02 | +4.9% | £2,079.13 |
| 2023/24 | £2,228.83 | +5.2% | £1,981.18 |
| 2022/23 | £2,119.20 | +3.1% | £1,883.73 |
| 2021/22 | £2,055.10 | +5.1% | £1,826.76 |
| 2020/21 | £1,955.41 | +4.0% | £1,738.14 |
| 2019/20 | £1,879.87 | +4.0% | £1,671.00 |
| 2018/19 | £1,806.78 | +6.0% | £1,606.03 |
| 2017/18 | £1,704.63 | +4.7% | £1,515.23 |
| 2016/17 | £1,628.48 | – | £1,447.54 |
Homes by council tax band in Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove has 136,820 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 44% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,293.81 a year (£229.38 a month over 10 instalments).
Brighton and Hove compared with South East
Brighton and Hove is the 50th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£105.09 less than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Reigate and Banstead | £2,566.61 | +4.4% |
| West Oxfordshire | £2,566.95 | +5% |
| Vale of White Horse | £2,577.44 | +4.9% |
| Brighton and Hove | £2,580.54 | +5% |
| Cherwell | £2,582.96 | +4.8% |
| Surrey Heath | £2,585.16 | +4.8% |
| Tandridge | £2,594.85 | +5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Brighton and Hove drops from £2,293.81 to £1,720.36.
- Council Tax Reduction: Brighton and Hove 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).
Brighton and Hove's 5% 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.
Brighton & Hove Council Tax Reduction for 2026/27
Working-age claimants who are not on Universal Credit can get at most 82% of a Band D bill. With the city's standard Band D charge of £2,579.44, the most a working-age claimant can get is about £2,115.14 a year. People in Band E and above therefore pay more than the 18% minimum. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100%. The savings limit is £6,000 for working age and £16,000 for pension age.
If you are on Universal Credit, the council works out your reduction from the "earnings reported by your employer" figures on your UC statement, using fixed bands from 1 April 2026. If UC records more than £6,000 of capital, you get nothing. Your award is only recalculated if it would change by more than £2.
| Weekly earnings (Universal Credit) | You pay | Reduction |
|---|---|---|
| £0.00 to £93.63 | 18% | 82% |
| £93.64 to £133.76 | 40% | 60% |
| £133.77 to £173.89 | 60% | 40% |
| £173.90 to £227.40 | 80% | 20% |
| £227.41 to £334.41 | 90% | 10% |
| £334.42 or more | 100% | None |
Why some streets pay more: enclosures and Rottingdean
Brighton & Hove sets different charges for Hanover Crescent, Royal Crescent and Marine Square. Each of these carries an extra enclosures charge on top of the city rate, and Rottingdean Parish adds its own parish precept. At Band D in 2026/27 these are £2,860.61 (Hanover Crescent), £3,007.92 (Royal Crescent), £2,753.36 (Marine Square) and £2,618.23 (Rottingdean), against the standard £2,579.44.
The council agreed its 2026/27 budget on 26 February 2026. It says it costs just over £2.8 million a day to run its services, and council tax provides 20.4% of its income.
Empty homes, second homes and furnished lets
Since 1 April 2025, empty furnished homes, second homes and furnished lets between tenants have paid a 100% premium from the first day they are empty. Full council approved this on 1 February 2024. A standard Band C second home pays £4,585.68. Unfurnished homes pay the full charge, plus 100% after one year, 200% after five and 300% after ten. Brighton gives no discount for homes that are uninhabitable or being worked on.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Brighton and Hove?
£2,580.54 a year in 2026/27, or £258.05 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Brighton and Hove?
Band C: 35,630 of 136,820 homes (26%). A Band C bill is £2,293.81 in 2026/27.
How much has Brighton and Hove council tax gone up?
5% this year, from £2,456.78 to £2,580.54 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 58%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Brighton and Hove?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,138.90; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £41.52; Police and crime commissioner £281.91; Fire and rescue authority £117.49; Parish/town council (average) £0.72 (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 Reduction in Brighton and Hove?
82% of a Band D bill for working-age claimants. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100%.
Why is council tax higher in Royal Crescent, Brighton?
Hanover Crescent, Royal Crescent and Marine Square have their own enclosure charges on top of the city rate. Royal Crescent is £3,007.92 at Band D in 2026/27.
Do furnished lets in Brighton pay a premium between tenants?
Yes. Since 1 April 2025 a furnished property with no resident pays a 100% premium from the day it becomes empty, unless a national exception applies.
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)
- Brighton & Hove City Council – Apply for a Council Tax Reduction
- Brighton & Hove City Council – How much Council Tax is 2026 to 2027
- Brighton & Hove City Council – Council Tax for empty properties
- Brighton & Hove City Council – Council budget 2026 to 2027