Burnley Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Burnley is £2,549.42 for 2026/27, up 3.8% (£93.59) on last year. That is £157.90 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 235th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (60%), so the average bill per home is about £1,955.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, North West · Official England government statistics
Burnley council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,699.61 | £169.96 | £141.63 | £1,274.71 | 25,810 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,982.88 | £198.29 | £165.24 | £1,487.16 | 5,940 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,266.15 | £226.62 | £188.85 | £1,699.61 | 6,590 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,549.42 | £254.94 | £212.45 | £1,912.07 | 3,110 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,115.96 | £311.60 | £259.66 | £2,336.97 | 1,370 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,682.50 | £368.25 | £306.87 | £2,761.87 | 340 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,249.03 | £424.90 | £354.09 | £3,186.78 | 130 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,098.84 | £509.88 | £424.90 | £3,824.13 | 20 |
- Burnley
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Burnley council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Burnley but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,549.42 Band D charge, £351.44 (14%) 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 A |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £351.44 | 13.8% | £234.29 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,801.75 | 70.7% | £1,201.17 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £292.40 | 11.5% | £194.93 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £94.73 | 3.7% | £63.15 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £9.10 | 0.4% | £6.07 |
- District council £351 13.8%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,802 70.7%
- Police and crime commissioner £292 11.5%
- Fire and rescue authority £95 3.7%
- Parish/town council (average) £9 0.4%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Burnley; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Burnley council tax history
Band D in Burnley has risen from £1,683.70 in 2016/17 to £2,549.42 in 2026/27 — 51% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 22.9%, the 266th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Burnley Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,549.42 | +3.8% | £1,699.61 |
| 2025/26 | £2,455.83 | +4.6% | £1,637.22 |
| 2024/25 | £2,347.12 | +4.6% | £1,564.75 |
| 2023/24 | £2,243.80 | +4.2% | £1,495.87 |
| 2022/23 | £2,153.71 | +3.8% | £1,435.81 |
| 2021/22 | £2,074.43 | +3.9% | £1,382.95 |
| 2020/21 | £1,995.91 | +3.7% | £1,330.61 |
| 2019/20 | £1,924.36 | +4.8% | £1,282.91 |
| 2018/19 | £1,836.08 | +5.5% | £1,224.05 |
| 2017/18 | £1,739.83 | +3.3% | £1,159.89 |
| 2016/17 | £1,683.70 | – | £1,122.47 |
Homes by council tax band in Burnley
Burnley has 43,310 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 73% 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 £1,699.61 a year (£169.96 a month over 10 instalments).
Burnley compared with North West
Burnley is the 26th cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£66.20 less than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Bury | £2,555.15 | +5.8% |
| Preston | £2,575.74 | +4% |
| Sefton | £2,583.22 | +5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Burnley drops from £1,699.61 to £1,274.71.
- Council Tax Reduction: Burnley 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).
Burnley's 3.8% 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.
Council Tax Support in Burnley covers up to 85%
Working-age residents in Burnley can get at most 85% of their bill paid by Council Tax Support in 2026/27, so everyone of working age pays at least 15%. Pension-age residents can still get up to 100% under the national rules. On a Band A home, the most common band in Burnley, the full charge is £1,699.61. A working-age household getting the maximum award would still pay about £254.94 a year, or £25.49 a month over 10 instalments.
From 1 April 2026 Burnley added a top-up for households already getting Council Tax Support where you, your partner or a dependant has a terminal illness. It cuts the remaining bill to nil. You apply with an SR1 form, the medical form confirming a terminal illness.
What Burnley decided for 2026/27
Burnley Borough Council raised its own share of the bill by 1.99%, below the limit for district councils. The council cites rising costs and lower government grant. It keeps around £351.44 of the average Band D bill, roughly 14p in every £1. Lancashire County Council takes £1,801.75, and Lancashire's police and fire authorities take the rest. The overall bill rose 3.8% because the county, police and fire increases are larger than Burnley's.
Empty homes in Burnley: a two-month discount and a renovation incentive
- An empty, unfurnished home gets a 100% discount for its first two months, then pays the full charge.
- An empty home that cannot be lived in can get a 25% discount for up to 12 months, as long as it is not already paying the long-term empty premium.
- Burnley runs its own renovation discount. A formerly uninhabitable house that has been empty for over 12 months can get 100% off for up to six months after the work is finished. The works must meet the council's standards and someone must move in within six months.
- Premiums: double the bill after 1 year empty, three times after 5 years and four times after 10 years. A Band A home empty for over 10 years pays £6,798.45.
- Second homes: Burnley's 2026/27 premiums policy says it does not currently charge a second homes premium, so a furnished second home pays the normal 100% charge.
Paying your Burnley bill
Direct debit can be taken on the 1st, 7th, 16th, 23rd or 30th of the month, over 10 or 12 monthly instalments. Burnley also lets direct debit payers pay weekly or fortnightly, collected on Fridays, which suits people paid weekly.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Burnley?
£2,549.42 a year in 2026/27, or £254.94 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Burnley?
Band A: 25,810 of 43,310 homes (60%). A Band A bill is £1,699.61 in 2026/27.
How much has Burnley council tax gone up?
3.8% this year, from £2,455.83 to £2,549.42 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 51%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Burnley?
District council £351.44; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,801.75; Police and crime commissioner £292.40; Fire and rescue authority £94.73; Parish/town council (average) £9.10 (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 Burnley?
For working-age claimants it is 85% of the bill in 2026/27. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100%.
Can I pay Burnley council tax weekly?
Yes, if you pay by direct debit. Weekly and fortnightly payments are collected on Fridays. Monthly direct debit dates are the 1st, 7th, 16th, 23rd or 30th.
Does Burnley charge extra on second homes?
No. Its 2026/27 empty homes premiums policy says Burnley does not currently charge a second homes premium. Long-term empty homes do pay premiums, starting after one year.
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)
- Burnley Borough Council – Council Tax Support (2026-27 maximum and terminal illness support)
- Burnley Borough Council – Council Tax explained (2026/27 increase)
- Burnley Borough Council – Council Tax for empty properties
- Burnley Borough Council – Empty Homes Premiums Policy 2026-27 (PDF)
- Burnley Borough Council – Paying your Council Tax