Cheshire East Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Cheshire East is £2,454.87 for 2026/27, up 5.2% (£122.26) on last year. That is £63.35 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 162nd lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (21%), so the average bill per home is about £2,447.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, North West · Official England government statistics
Cheshire East council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,636.58 | £163.66 | £136.38 | £1,227.44 | 31,870 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,909.34 | £190.93 | £159.11 | £1,432.01 | 39,710 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,182.11 | £218.21 | £181.84 | £1,636.58 | 38,050 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,454.87 | £245.49 | £204.57 | £1,841.15 | 28,530 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,000.40 | £300.04 | £250.03 | £2,250.30 | 23,840 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,545.92 | £354.59 | £295.49 | £2,659.44 | 15,570 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,091.45 | £409.15 | £340.95 | £3,068.59 | 13,270 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,909.74 | £490.97 | £409.15 | £3,682.31 | 2,020 |
- Cheshire East
- England average
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Where your Cheshire East council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Cheshire East but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,454.87 Band D charge, £1,975.95 (80%) 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 B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,938.31 | 79.0% | £1,507.57 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £37.64 | 1.5% | £29.28 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £295.44 | 12.0% | £229.79 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £100.09 | 4.1% | £77.85 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £83.39 | 3.4% | £64.86 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,938 79.0%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £295 12.0%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £83 3.4%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Cheshire East; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Cheshire East council tax history
Band D in Cheshire East has risen from £1,539.99 in 2016/17 to £2,454.87 in 2026/27 — 59% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.3%, the 93rd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Cheshire East Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,454.87 | +5.2% | £1,909.34 |
| 2025/26 | £2,332.61 | +5.2% | £1,814.25 |
| 2024/25 | £2,217.19 | +5.1% | £1,724.48 |
| 2023/24 | £2,109.02 | +5.3% | £1,640.35 |
| 2022/23 | £2,003.60 | +3.0% | £1,558.36 |
| 2021/22 | £1,944.45 | +5.0% | £1,512.35 |
| 2020/21 | £1,851.05 | +4.2% | £1,439.71 |
| 2019/20 | £1,777.26 | +4.2% | £1,382.31 |
| 2018/19 | £1,706.28 | +6.0% | £1,327.11 |
| 2017/18 | £1,610.44 | +4.6% | £1,252.56 |
| 2016/17 | £1,539.99 | – | £1,197.77 |
Homes by council tax band in Cheshire East
Cheshire East has 192,860 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 37% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,909.34 a year (£190.93 a month over 10 instalments).
Cheshire East compared with North West
Cheshire East is the 12th cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£28.35 more than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| South Ribble | £2,442.66 | +3.8% |
| Tameside | £2,447.21 | +5.9% |
| Warrington | £2,447.61 | +7.3% |
| Cheshire East | £2,454.87 | +5.2% |
| Blackburn with Darwen | £2,455.27 | +5.1% |
| West Lancashire | £2,456.23 | +4% |
| Wyre | £2,460.53 | +4% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Cheshire East drops from £1,909.34 to £1,432.01.
- Council Tax Reduction: Cheshire East 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).
Cheshire East's 5.2% 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.
Cheshire East's 2026/27 rise and the flood levy on your bill
Cheshire East Council raised its own charge by 4.99%, with 2% of that set aside for adult social care. Its Band D element went from £1,882.04 to £1,975.99. Cheshire Constabulary, Cheshire Fire and Rescue and town and parish councils set their own amounts on top.
Cheshire East bills also include an Environment Agency flood levy. The North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee raises a local levy for flood defence work, and councils collect it through council tax. The total levy across the region rose 3.0%, from £4,680,577 to £4,820,995, for 2026/27.
How Cheshire East decides if a home is "furnished"
Whether a home counts as empty or as a second home makes a big difference in Cheshire East. A second home has paid a 100% premium from its first day since 1 April 2025, so £4,909.74 at the average Band D rate. An empty, unfurnished home pays no premium until it has been empty for a year. The council uses a simple test: a home is furnished if it has more items of removable furniture than rooms (not counting the bathroom). White goods do not count. Fewer items than rooms means it is unfurnished.
| Status | Charge | Band D at area average (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Furnished, nobody's main home (from day 1) | 200% | £4,909.74 |
| Unfurnished, under 1 year | 100% | £2,454.87 |
| Unfurnished, 1 to 5 years | 200% | £4,909.74 |
| Unfurnished, 5 to 10 years | 300% | £7,364.61 |
| Unfurnished, over 10 years | 400% | £9,819.48 |
Council Tax Support and other help
- Working-age claimants pay at least 20% of the bill unless they get income-based JSA, income-related ESA or Income Support. Support is capped at the Band D charge, you cannot claim with £6,000 or more in capital, and awards under £2 a week are not paid. On a Band A home (£1,636.58) the 20% minimum is about £327.32 a year.
- Pension-age claimants can get up to 100%, with a minimum award of just 1p a week.
- If you are selling a property and struggling to pay, the council can delay payment until completion. You need a solicitor's undertaking to pay from the sale proceeds.
- Section 13A reductions are short-term discretionary discounts for exceptional cases. Examples include fire or flood damage that your insurer will not cover, or a terminal illness that badly affects household finances.
- Direct debit dates are the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 22nd or 27th of the month. You can spread payments over 12 months, or pay in full by 1 April.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Cheshire East?
£2,454.87 a year in 2026/27, or £245.49 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Cheshire East?
Band B: 39,710 of 192,860 homes (21%). A Band B bill is £1,909.34 in 2026/27.
How much has Cheshire East council tax gone up?
5.2% this year, from £2,332.61 to £2,454.87 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 59%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Cheshire East?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,938.31; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £37.64; Police and crime commissioner £295.44; Fire and rescue authority £100.09; Parish/town council (average) £83.39 (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.
How does Cheshire East decide if an empty home is furnished?
It counts removable furniture, excluding white goods. More items than rooms (not counting the bathroom) means furnished, which is treated as a second home and pays a 100% premium from day one. Fewer means unfurnished.
What is the minimum council tax payment on Council Tax Support in Cheshire East?
20% of the bill for working-age claimants, unless they get income-based JSA, income-related ESA or Income Support.
Can I delay paying Cheshire East council tax until I sell a house?
Yes, the council can consider postponing payment until the sale completes if you provide a solicitor's letter of undertaking to pay from the proceeds.
Why is there an Environment Agency charge on my Cheshire East bill?
The North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee raises a local flood defence levy, which councils collect through council tax. The total levy for 2026/27 is £4,820,995 across the region.
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)
- Cheshire East Council – Council Tax bill increase calculations 2026-27
- Cheshire East Council – Environment Agency flood protection levy
- Cheshire East Council – Council tax for empty properties and second homes
- Cheshire East Council – Council Tax Support for low income households
- Cheshire East Council – Section 13A reductions and postponing payment pending sale
- Cheshire East Council – Pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit