Fareham Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Fareham is £2,270.55 for 2026/27, up 4.9% (£106.00) on last year. That is £120.97 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 41st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (31%), so the average bill per home is about £2,271.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Fareham council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,513.70 | £151.37 | £126.14 | £1,135.28 | 3,670 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,765.98 | £176.60 | £147.17 | £1,324.49 | 7,420 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,018.27 | £201.83 | £168.19 | £1,513.70 | 15,890 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,270.55 | £227.06 | £189.21 | £1,702.91 | 10,960 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,775.12 | £277.51 | £231.26 | £2,081.34 | 8,160 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,279.68 | £327.97 | £273.31 | £2,459.76 | 3,760 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,784.25 | £378.43 | £315.35 | £2,838.19 | 1,540 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,541.10 | £454.11 | £378.43 | £3,405.83 | 130 |
- Fareham
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Fareham council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Fareham but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,270.55 Band D charge, £197.14 (9%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £197.14 | 8.7% | £175.24 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,690.11 | 74.4% | £1,502.32 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £290.46 | 12.8% | £258.19 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £92.84 | 4.1% | £82.52 |
- District council £197 8.7%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,690 74.4%
- Police and crime commissioner £290 12.8%
- Fire and rescue authority £93 4.1%
Fareham council tax history
Band D in Fareham has risen from £1,447.56 in 2016/17 to £2,270.55 in 2026/27 — 57% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.9%, the 159th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Fareham Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,270.55 | +4.9% | £2,018.27 |
| 2025/26 | £2,164.55 | +4.9% | £1,924.04 |
| 2024/25 | £2,063.40 | +4.6% | £1,834.13 |
| 2023/24 | £1,972.60 | +5.0% | £1,753.42 |
| 2022/23 | £1,877.97 | +3.3% | £1,669.31 |
| 2021/22 | £1,817.56 | +4.9% | £1,615.61 |
| 2020/21 | £1,732.02 | +3.9% | £1,539.57 |
| 2019/20 | £1,666.26 | +4.2% | £1,481.12 |
| 2018/19 | £1,599.38 | +5.7% | £1,421.67 |
| 2017/18 | £1,512.62 | +4.5% | £1,344.55 |
| 2016/17 | £1,447.56 | – | £1,286.72 |
Homes by council tax band in Fareham
Fareham has 51,530 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 22% are in Bands A or B, fewer than in most areas — homes here are concentrated in the middle and upper bands. The most common band is C, which costs £2,018.27 a year (£201.83 a month over 10 instalments).
Fareham compared with South East
Fareham is the 4th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£204.90 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Windsor and Maidenhead | £1,952.62 | +7.1% |
| Basingstoke and Deane | £2,255.21 | +5% |
| Bracknell Forest | £2,264.80 | +5.1% |
| Fareham | £2,270.55 | +4.9% |
| Portsmouth | £2,291.71 | +5.1% |
| Test Valley | £2,305.52 | +5% |
| Havant | £2,320.28 | +4.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Fareham drops from £2,018.27 to £1,513.70.
- Council Tax Reduction: Fareham 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).
Fareham's 4.9% 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.
Fareham's new banded Council Tax Support from April 2026
Fareham Borough Council replaced its working-age Council Tax Support with an income-banded scheme from 1 April 2026. Its lowest band still covers 100% of the bill. Your household type and weekly income after disregards give a reduction of 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% or nothing.
Worked example: a single parent with one child working part-time earns £280 a week net and gets £100 of counted Universal Credit. Fareham deducts £50 for earnings, leaving £330, which is in the 75% band. In a Band C home (£2,018.27 in 2026/27) they pay £504.57. If the child gets DLA, a further £100 is ignored, bringing income to £230 and the reduction to 100%.
- Up to £50 a week of earnings is ignored, and up to £100 a week if anyone in the household gets DLA, PIP or the UC limited capability for work element.
- The UC housing, carer, childcare, disabled child and LCW/LCWRA elements are not counted. Neither are Carer’s Allowance, new-style ESA, Attendance Allowance, DLA, PIP, Child Benefit, child maintenance or war disablement pensions.
- Self-employed UC claimants on the minimum income floor are assessed on their actual earnings, not the floor.
- The savings limit is £16,000, and savings below that do not reduce support. Other adults in the household do not reduce it either.
| Reduction | Single adult | Single adult, 1 child | Couple | Couple, 2+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | Under £200 | Under £300 | Under £300 | Under £400 |
| 75% | £200 to £249.99 | £300 to £349.99 | £300 to £349.99 | £400 to £449.99 |
| 50% | £250 to £299.99 | £350 to £399.99 | £350 to £399.99 | £450 to £499.99 |
| 25% | £300 to £349.99 | £400 to £449.99 | £400 to £449.99 | £500 to £549.99 |
| 0% | £350 or more | £450 or more | £450 or more | £550 or more |
Empty homes, second homes and what Fareham keeps
Empty, unfurnished homes pay full council tax from the first day, apart from caravan pitches and boat moorings, which get 50% off. After 12 months empty the premium is 100%, after five years 200% and after ten years 300%. Fareham's second-homes premium, in force since 1 April 2025, starts only after a home has been a second home for more than 12 months. A Band E second home then pays £5,550.23 instead of £2,775.12. A Class M exception for major repairs that finish early carries on for up to six more months while the home stays empty and unfurnished.
Only about 9% of each bill pays for Fareham Borough Council's services. Its Band D share of £197.14 is net spending of £348.02 per Band D home, less £76.51 of government grant and £74.37 of retained business rates. Fareham reports collecting 98.3% of council tax in 2024/25, against a national average of 95.8%.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Fareham?
£2,270.55 a year in 2026/27, or £227.06 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Fareham?
Band C: 15,890 of 51,530 homes (31%). A Band C bill is £2,018.27 in 2026/27.
How much has Fareham council tax gone up?
4.9% this year, from £2,164.55 to £2,270.55 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 57%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Fareham?
District council £197.14; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,690.11; Police and crime commissioner £290.46; Fire and rescue authority £92.84 (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.
Can working-age people still get 100% council tax support in Fareham?
Yes. Under the banded scheme from April 2026, the lowest income band for each household type gets a 100% reduction, for example a single adult with weekly income under £200 after disregards.
When does the second homes premium start in Fareham?
Once a furnished home has been nobody’s main residence for more than 12 months. The premium is 100%, doubling the bill, and has applied since 1 April 2025.
What is the savings limit for Council Tax Support in Fareham?
If you and your partner have more than £16,000 in savings or capital, you cannot get Council Tax Support.
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)
- Fareham Borough Council – Working age Council Tax Support
- Fareham Borough Council – Unoccupied properties and second homes
- Fareham Borough Council – Calculation of a Band D charge