Bury Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Bury is £2,555.15 for 2026/27, up 5.8% (£140.57) on last year. That is £163.63 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 237th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (36%), so the average bill per home is about £2,161.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, North West · Official England government statistics
Bury council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,703.43 | £170.34 | £141.95 | £1,277.58 | 30,770 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,987.34 | £198.73 | £165.61 | £1,490.50 | 18,780 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,271.24 | £227.12 | £189.27 | £1,703.43 | 17,610 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,555.15 | £255.52 | £212.93 | £1,916.36 | 9,390 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,122.96 | £312.30 | £260.25 | £2,342.22 | 5,720 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,690.77 | £369.08 | £307.56 | £2,768.08 | 1,900 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,258.58 | £425.86 | £354.88 | £3,193.94 | 1,320 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,110.30 | £511.03 | £425.86 | £3,832.73 | 180 |
- Bury
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Bury council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Bury but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,555.15 Band D charge, £2,115.90 (83%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, mayoral combined authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,075.59 | 81.2% | £1,383.73 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £40.31 | 1.6% | £26.87 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.30 | 11.2% | £190.20 |
| Mayoral combined authority | £153.95 | 6.0% | £102.63 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,076 81.2%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £40 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 11.2%
- Mayoral combined authority £154 6.0%
Bury council tax history
Band D in Bury has risen from £1,571.29 in 2016/17 to £2,555.15 in 2026/27 — 63% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 27.7%, the 49th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Bury Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,555.15 | +5.8% | £1,703.43 |
| 2025/26 | £2,414.58 | +5.5% | £1,609.72 |
| 2024/25 | £2,288.80 | +5.0% | £1,525.87 |
| 2023/24 | £2,179.56 | +5.2% | £1,453.04 |
| 2022/23 | £2,072.66 | +3.6% | £1,381.77 |
| 2021/22 | £2,000.92 | +4.7% | £1,333.95 |
| 2020/21 | £1,911.30 | +4.7% | £1,274.20 |
| 2019/20 | £1,826.19 | +4.4% | £1,217.46 |
| 2018/19 | £1,748.89 | +6.4% | £1,165.93 |
| 2017/18 | £1,644.41 | +4.7% | £1,096.27 |
| 2016/17 | £1,571.29 | – | £1,047.53 |
Homes by council tax band in Bury
Bury has 85,670 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 58% 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 £1,703.43 a year (£170.34 a month over 10 instalments).
Bury compared with North West
Bury is the 27th cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£71.93 less than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Salford | £2,594.45 | +5.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Bury drops from £1,703.43 to £1,277.58.
- Council Tax Reduction: Bury 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).
Bury's 5.8% 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.
Why Bury's bill rose more than the council's own 4.99%
Bury Council set its 2026/27 council tax at a meeting on 25 February 2026, raising its general element by 4.99%. The total Band D bill rose 5.8% because both Greater Manchester precepts on the bill went up faster. The Mayor's Police and Crime Commissioner precept rose 5.5%. The Mayoral General Precept, which pays for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue and the Mayor's other functions, rose 19.4% to £153.95 at Band D.
The council's budget leaflet shows its net budget rising £13.1 million to £252.1 million. Spending on adult care rises from £82.4 million to £91.2 million and on children's services from £65.4 million to £69.5 million. These two services take most of the increase.
New Council Tax Support scheme from April 2026
Bury approved a new working-age Council Tax Support scheme on 25 February 2026, after public consultation in November and December 2025. Some rules stay the same and some are new:
- Everyone of working age still pays at least 20%, so the most the scheme can cover is 80%. On a Band A bill of £1,703.43, that leaves at least £340.69 to pay.
- Only earned income is counted, so Universal Credit itself no longer reduces your award. You are placed in a band based on monthly earnings and household type.
- The £8,000 savings limit stays. The old sliding scale of deductions for other adults in the home is replaced with a flat £40 a month.
- Lone parents with a child under 5 and people getting certain Armed Forces payments remain protected.
- Pension-age claims follow the national scheme, which councils cannot change.
Second homes, empty homes and instalments in Bury
Bury has charged a 100% second homes premium since 1 April 2025. A furnished home that is nobody's main residence pays double, which is £5,110.30 at Band D. Before that date, furnished empty homes paid the normal charge. Unfurnished homes pay the full charge for their first year empty, then double from 1 year, three times from 5 years and four times from 10 years. Before April 2025 the premium started at 2 years.
You can pay in 10 instalments (April to January), 12 (April to March), two (April and October) or in full in April. Direct debit dates are the 1st, 5th, 15th or 25th of the month.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Bury?
£2,555.15 a year in 2026/27, or £255.52 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Bury?
Band A: 30,770 of 85,670 homes (36%). A Band A bill is £1,703.43 in 2026/27.
How much has Bury council tax gone up?
5.8% this year, from £2,414.58 to £2,555.15 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 63%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Bury?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,075.59; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £40.31; Police and crime commissioner £285.30; Mayoral combined authority £153.95 (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.
Why did the Bury council tax bill go up by more than 5%?
Bury Council's own share rose 4.99%, but the Greater Manchester Mayoral General Precept (fire and mayoral services) rose 19.4% and the police precept 5.5%, taking the total Band D bill up 5.8%.
Is there a minimum council tax payment in Bury if I get support?
Yes. Working-age Council Tax Support recipients pay at least 20% of their bill. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100%.
Does Bury charge double council tax on second homes?
Yes. Since 1 April 2025 furnished homes that are nobody's main residence pay a 100% premium, so double the normal 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)
- Bury Council – Council Tax rates and bills 2026-27
- Bury Council – Council budgets and your council tax 2026-27 (PDF)
- Bury Council – Changes to the Council Tax Support scheme from 1 April 2026
- Bury Council – Council Tax for empty properties
- Bury Council – Paying your Council Tax