Dover Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Dover is £2,461.74 for 2026/27, up 4.1% (£97.29) on last year. That is £70.22 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 169th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (31%), so the average bill per home is about £2,260.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Dover council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,641.16 | £164.12 | £136.76 | £1,230.87 | 7,310 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,914.69 | £191.47 | £159.56 | £1,436.01 | 17,510 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,188.21 | £218.82 | £182.35 | £1,641.16 | 14,810 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,461.74 | £246.17 | £205.14 | £1,846.30 | 7,870 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,008.79 | £300.88 | £250.73 | £2,256.60 | 4,700 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,555.85 | £355.58 | £296.32 | £2,666.88 | 2,610 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,102.90 | £410.29 | £341.91 | £3,077.17 | 1,610 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,923.48 | £492.35 | £410.29 | £3,692.61 | 70 |
- Dover
- England average
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Where your Dover council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Dover but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,461.74 Band D charge, £227.34 (9%) 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 | £227.34 | 9.2% | £176.82 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,758.60 | 71.4% | £1,367.80 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.15 | 11.6% | £221.78 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.81 | 4.1% | £77.63 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £90.84 | 3.7% | £70.65 |
- District council £227 9.2%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,759 71.4%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 11.6%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £91 3.7%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Dover; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Dover council tax history
Band D in Dover has risen from £1,592.00 in 2016/17 to £2,461.74 in 2026/27 — 55% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.0%, the 201st biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Dover Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,461.74 | +4.1% | £1,914.69 |
| 2025/26 | £2,364.45 | +4.9% | £1,839.02 |
| 2024/25 | £2,253.49 | +4.8% | £1,752.71 |
| 2023/24 | £2,150.91 | +4.9% | £1,672.93 |
| 2022/23 | £2,049.81 | +3.2% | £1,594.30 |
| 2021/22 | £1,986.00 | +4.8% | £1,544.67 |
| 2020/21 | £1,894.39 | +3.9% | £1,473.41 |
| 2019/20 | £1,822.82 | +5.5% | £1,417.75 |
| 2018/19 | £1,727.47 | +4.7% | £1,343.59 |
| 2017/18 | £1,649.27 | +3.6% | £1,282.77 |
| 2016/17 | £1,592.00 | – | £1,238.22 |
Homes by council tax band in Dover
Dover has 56,490 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 44% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,914.69 a year (£191.47 a month over 10 instalments).
Dover compared with South East
Dover is the 28th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£13.71 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Horsham | £2,441.01 | +5.1% |
| Tunbridge Wells | £2,446.15 | +4.2% |
| Worthing | £2,456.13 | +4.8% |
| Dover | £2,461.74 | +4.1% |
| Chichester | £2,469.68 | +5.3% |
| Tonbridge and Malling | £2,471.83 | +4.1% |
| Mid Sussex | £2,474.26 | +5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Dover drops from £1,914.69 to £1,436.01.
- Council Tax Reduction: Dover 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).
Dover'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.
Dover's banded Council Tax Support scheme
Dover District Council's working-age Council Tax Support is a four-band income scheme: the lowest-income households get 100% off, then 75%, 50% or 25% as weekly income rises. Support is capped at the Band D charge, so a claimant in a bigger home pays the gap themselves. Working-age claimants with more than £10,000 in capital get nothing.
Worked example: a working single person with weekly income of £200 falls into the 50% band. In a Band B home (£1,914.69 in 2026/27) that leaves £957.34 to pay, or £95.73 a month over 10 instalments.
- People on Universal Credit with no earnings go straight into Band 1 (100%), subject to the capital limit and any £10-a-week deduction for another adult in the home.
- Anyone on income-related Employment and Support Allowance is also placed in Band 1, with capital fully ignored.
- Kent County Council care leavers aged 21 to 24 are treated as Band 1 whatever their income.
- Working parents can have childcare costs disregarded from earnings, up to £175 a week for one child or £300 for two or more.
| Band | Discount | Single person, weekly income | Couple, weekly income | Family with 2+ children, weekly income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | £0 to £109 | £0 to £164 | £0 to £327 |
| 2 | 75% | £109.01 to £184 | £164.01 to £239 | £327.01 to £402 |
| 3 | 50% | £184.01 to £259 | £239.01 to £314 | £402.01 to £477 |
| 4 | 25% | £259.01 to £334 | £314.01 to £389 | £477.01 to £552 |
Second homes and empty homes in Dover from April 2026
Dover started charging a 100% premium on furnished second homes from 1 April 2026, a year after the earliest date the law allowed. A Band D second home now pays £4,923.48 instead of £2,461.74. Homes empty and substantially unfurnished for a year or more pay 200%, rising to 300% after five years and 400% after ten. The premium follows the property, so buying a home that has already been empty for a year means paying it from day one.
No premium is charged on job-related armed forces homes, annexes, occupied caravan pitches and boat moorings, or seasonal homes whose planning conditions forbid year-round living. Homes actively marketed for sale or let, homes where probate was granted in the last 12 months, and unfurnished homes needing major repair are spared for up to 12 months.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Dover?
£2,461.74 a year in 2026/27, or £246.17 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Dover?
Band B: 17,510 of 56,490 homes (31%). A Band B bill is £1,914.69 in 2026/27.
How much has Dover council tax gone up?
4.1% this year, from £2,364.45 to £2,461.74 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 55%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Dover?
District council £227.34; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,758.60; Police and crime commissioner £285.15; Fire and rescue authority £99.81; Parish/town council (average) £90.84 (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.
When did Dover start charging double council tax on second homes?
From 1 April 2026. A furnished home that is nobody's main residence now pays 200%, which is £4,923.48 at Band D in 2026/27.
What is the savings limit for Council Tax Support in Dover?
Working-age claimants with more than £10,000 in capital cannot get Council Tax Support. The pension-age limit is £16,000, unless you get the guarantee part of Pension Credit.
Can I pay Dover council tax over 12 months?
Yes. Bills are normally spread over 10 monthly instalments, but the council will spread them over 12 if you ask, and its help page invites people whose income has dropped to get in touch.
Is there extra help if I still cannot pay after Council Tax Support?
Dover runs an exceptional hardship award for people who already get, or have applied for, Council Tax Support and are in severe financial hardship.
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)
- Dover District Council – Working age and pension age Council Tax Support
- Dover District Council – Claim Council Tax Support
- Dover District Council – Council tax premiums
- Dover District Council – Help with paying council tax