Colchester Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Colchester is £2,282.85 for 2026/27, up 4.1% (£90.77) on last year. That is £108.67 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 46th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (27%), so the average bill per home is about £2,157.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, East of England · Official England government statistics
Colchester council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,521.90 | £152.19 | £126.82 | £1,141.43 | 9,760 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,775.55 | £177.56 | £147.96 | £1,331.66 | 23,170 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,029.20 | £202.92 | £169.10 | £1,521.90 | 21,250 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,282.85 | £228.29 | £190.24 | £1,712.14 | 16,410 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,790.15 | £279.02 | £232.51 | £2,092.61 | 9,440 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,297.45 | £329.75 | £274.79 | £2,473.09 | 4,380 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,804.75 | £380.48 | £317.06 | £2,853.56 | 2,620 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,565.70 | £456.57 | £380.47 | £3,424.27 | 170 |
- Colchester
- England average
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Where your Colchester council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Colchester but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,282.85 Band D charge, £231.15 (10%) 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 B |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £231.15 | 10.1% | £179.78 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,641.96 | 71.9% | £1,277.08 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £275.31 | 12.1% | £214.13 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £92.52 | 4.1% | £71.96 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £41.91 | 1.8% | £32.60 |
- District council £231 10.1%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,642 71.9%
- Police and crime commissioner £275 12.1%
- Fire and rescue authority £93 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £42 1.8%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Colchester; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Colchester council tax history
Band D in Colchester has risen from £1,548.23 in 2016/17 to £2,282.85 in 2026/27 — 47% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 22.9%, the 264th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Colchester Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,282.85 | +4.1% | £1,775.55 |
| 2025/26 | £2,192.08 | +4.0% | £1,704.95 |
| 2024/25 | £2,107.30 | +4.8% | £1,639.01 |
| 2023/24 | £2,011.41 | +4.0% | £1,564.43 |
| 2022/23 | £1,934.23 | +4.1% | £1,504.40 |
| 2021/22 | £1,857.31 | +1.9% | £1,444.57 |
| 2020/21 | £1,821.95 | +3.7% | £1,417.07 |
| 2019/20 | £1,756.41 | +4.9% | £1,366.10 |
| 2018/19 | £1,674.49 | +5.0% | £1,302.38 |
| 2017/18 | £1,595.25 | +3.0% | £1,240.75 |
| 2016/17 | £1,548.23 | – | £1,204.18 |
Homes by council tax band in Colchester
Colchester has 87,200 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 38% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,775.55 a year (£177.56 a month over 10 instalments).
Colchester compared with East of England
Colchester is the 7th cheapest of 45 councils in East of England, where the average Band D across councils is £2,391.20 (£108.35 more than here). Cheapest: Thurrock (£2,254.68); most expensive: Huntingdonshire (£2,556.40).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Chelmsford | £2,300.18 | +4.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Colchester drops from £1,775.55 to £1,331.66.
- Council Tax Reduction: Colchester 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).
Colchester's 4.1% 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.
Colchester city versus its parishes
Colchester City Council publishes 35 sets of charges for 2026/27, one for each town or parish council area plus the unparished city. The lowest Band D, £2,240.94, applies in the unparished city and in parishes with no precept, such as Layer Breton and Layer Marney. Wivenhoe is the highest at £2,412.07, which is £171.13 more. The £2,282.85 figure above is the average across all of them.
| Area | Band D 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Wivenhoe | £2,412.07 |
| Messing cum Inworth | £2,376.83 |
| East Donyland | £2,375.12 |
| West Mersea | £2,367.21 |
| Tiptree | £2,354.09 |
| Fordham | £2,353.15 |
| Colchester City (unparished) | £2,240.94 |
Local Council Tax Support: income bands and a 20% minimum
Colchester's working-age scheme places your net weekly household income in one of six bands and gives a fixed discount according to household size. Every working-age household pays at least 20%, so the top award is 80%. Families with children get the higher percentages further up the income scale. A protected group gets 80% at every income level: households where you or your partner get Income Support, income-related ESA, income-based JSA, the enhanced daily living rate of PIP, the highest care rate of DLA or Armed Forces Independence Payment. You cannot claim with savings of £6,000 or more.
For example, a single person with no children and £150 a week net income falls in band 2 and gets 60% off. On a Band A bill in the unparished city (£1,493.96), the 25% single person discount comes off first, leaving £1,120.47. The 60% support then brings it down to about £448 for the year.
| Weekly net income | Single, no children | Couple, no children | Single, 1 child |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0 – £125 | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| £125.01 – £225 | 60% | 60% | 80% |
| £225.01 – £300 | 40% | 40% | 60% |
| £300.01 – £375 | 20% | 20% | 40% |
| £375.01 – £425 | 0% | 0% | 20% |
Empty homes: 28 days free, then the full charge
A home that has just become empty and unfurnished pays nothing for its first 28 days, then 100%. The 28 days belong to the property, so if you buy a home that has been empty for longer you pay from day one. Homes needing major repairs also pay 100%. After a year empty the charge doubles, after 5 years it triples, and after 10 years it is four times the normal amount. Second homes have paid a 100% premium (double) since 1 April 2025, which is £4,565.70 at the area-average Band D.
Colchester counts white goods as furniture. A home with fridge-freezers or cookers but no beds or sofas may not be treated as "substantially unfurnished", which matters for both the 28-day exemption and the premium.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Colchester?
£2,282.85 a year in 2026/27, or £228.29 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Colchester?
Band B: 23,170 of 87,200 homes (27%). A Band B bill is £1,775.55 in 2026/27.
How much has Colchester council tax gone up?
4.1% this year, from £2,192.08 to £2,282.85 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 47%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Colchester?
District council £231.15; 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) £41.91 (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.
Which part of Colchester has the highest council tax?
Wivenhoe, at £2,412.07 for Band D in 2026/27. The unparished city pays £2,240.94.
What is the most Council Tax Support I can get in Colchester?
80% if you are working age, as every working-age household pays at least 20%. Pension-age claimants are assessed under the national scheme.
How long is an empty home exempt in Colchester?
Up to 28 days from when it first becomes empty and unfurnished. After that the full charge applies, with a premium 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)
- Colchester City Council – Council Tax bands and charges 2026/27
- Colchester City Council – Local Council Tax Support (working age)
- Colchester City Council – Long-term empty properties and second homes