Durham Council Tax 2026/27

Durham froze its core council tax in 2026/27

Durham County Council did not increase its core council tax for 2026/27. The only rise in its own share is 1.99% on the adult social care precept, which appears as 2% on bills because figures are printed to one decimal place. The council says that increase will meet only about 20% of the rising cost of adult social care this year. That is why the total Band D rise here is lower than in most of England: the police, fire and parish precepts make up the rest of the change.

County Durham's 2026/27 budget plans £1.7 billion of gross spending. After service income, specific grants and reserves, £314 million has to come from council tax payers for county services. Children and Young People's Services is the largest budget, at about £760.6 million gross.

Durham's new income-banded Council Tax Reduction

From 1 April 2026 Durham replaced its old means-tested working-age scheme with an income-banded one. Your weekly household income is compared with the bands below. Every benefit paid by the DWP is ignored, so the band depends on earnings and other non-benefit income, and the first £25 a week of earnings is also disregarded. Savings or capital of £10,000 or more rule you out.

Worked example: a couple earning £180 a week between them count as having £155 once the £25 disregard is taken off, which puts them in the 50% band. In a Band A home (£1,748.10 in 2026/27) they pay £874.05. A household with no earnings gets 90% off and pays £174.81.

• A household where someone is terminally ill can get 100% off for up to 12 months, with an SR1 form as evidence.
• A standard £10 a week is deducted for each other adult who is not your partner, with exceptions.
• Pension-age claimants stay on the unchanged national-rules scheme.

Empty homes, second homes and paying

Durham gives no discount on empty homes. Full council tax is due from the day a home falls empty, and the clock does not restart when it is sold. A home has to be lived in or furnished for at least six continuous weeks to reset the empty period. After a year empty the bill doubles, after five years it is three times and after ten years four times. Second homes have paid double since 1 April 2025. On a Band A home that is £3,496.20.

Bills are normally paid in ten monthly instalments from April to January, but the council will spread them over 12 months if you ask. You can pay by direct debit, online, through a 24-hour phone line, by bank transfer or at a Post Office or PayPoint using the barcode on your bill.