Folkestone and Hythe Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Folkestone and Hythe is £2,538.75 for 2026/27, up 4.2% (£101.40) on last year. That is £147.23 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 227th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (27%), so the average bill per home is about £2,394.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Folkestone and Hythe council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,692.50 | £169.25 | £141.04 | £1,269.38 | 7,210 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,974.58 | £197.46 | £164.55 | £1,480.94 | 13,100 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,256.67 | £225.67 | £188.06 | £1,692.50 | 14,750 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,538.75 | £253.88 | £211.56 | £1,904.06 | 8,850 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,102.92 | £310.29 | £258.58 | £2,327.19 | 5,330 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,667.08 | £366.71 | £305.59 | £2,750.31 | 2,830 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,231.25 | £423.13 | £352.60 | £3,173.44 | 1,990 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,077.50 | £507.75 | £423.13 | £3,808.13 | 100 |
- Folkestone and Hythe
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Folkestone and Hythe council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Folkestone and Hythe but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,538.75 Band D charge, £313.92 (12%) 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 C |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £313.92 | 12.4% | £279.04 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,758.60 | 69.3% | £1,563.20 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.15 | 11.2% | £253.47 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.81 | 3.9% | £88.72 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £81.27 | 3.2% | £72.24 |
- District council £314 12.4%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,759 69.3%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 11.2%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 3.9%
- Parish/town council (average) £81 3.2%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Folkestone and Hythe; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Folkestone and Hythe council tax history
Band D in Folkestone and Hythe has risen from £1,653.60 in 2016/17 to £2,538.75 in 2026/27 — 54% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 23.3%, the 244th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Folkestone and Hythe Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,538.75 | +4.2% | £2,256.67 |
| 2025/26 | £2,437.35 | +4.8% | £2,166.53 |
| 2024/25 | £2,326.82 | +4.7% | £2,068.28 |
| 2023/24 | £2,222.12 | +4.9% | £1,975.22 |
| 2022/23 | £2,118.71 | +2.9% | £1,883.30 |
| 2021/22 | £2,058.86 | +4.7% | £1,830.10 |
| 2020/21 | £1,967.24 | +3.9% | £1,748.66 |
| 2019/20 | £1,892.89 | +5.1% | £1,682.57 |
| 2018/19 | £1,800.34 | +5.0% | £1,600.30 |
| 2017/18 | £1,715.08 | +3.7% | £1,524.52 |
| 2016/17 | £1,653.60 | – | £1,469.87 |
Homes by council tax band in Folkestone and Hythe
Folkestone and Hythe has 54,160 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 38% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,256.67 a year (£225.67 a month over 10 instalments).
Folkestone and Hythe compared with South East
Folkestone and Hythe is the 43rd cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£63.30 less than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Spelthorne | £2,526.44 | +4.7% |
| Buckinghamshire | £2,526.58 | +5.2% |
| Epsom and Ewell | £2,530.84 | +4.7% |
| Folkestone and Hythe | £2,538.75 | +4.2% |
| Guildford | £2,547.30 | +4.9% |
| Adur | £2,548.28 | +4.8% |
| Elmbridge | £2,557.75 | +4.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Folkestone and Hythe drops from £2,256.67 to £1,692.50.
- Council Tax Reduction: Folkestone and Hythe 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).
Folkestone and Hythe's 4.2% 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.
Council Tax Reduction bands in Folkestone & Hythe from April 2026
From 1 April 2026 Folkestone & Hythe District Council works out working-age Council Tax Reduction from a four-band income grid. The lowest band still gets 100% off. Pension-age claimants stay on the national scheme, and anyone with more than £16,000 in savings or capital cannot claim.
Worked example: a couple with a net weekly income of £240 and no earnings disregard fall into Band 2 and get 75% off. In a Band C home (£2,256.67 in 2026/27) they pay £564.17. If one partner works, £25 of earnings is ignored. That brings their income to £215, still Band 2. A disabled claimant gets a further £40 ignored, which would take them to £175 and the full 100%.
- Child Benefit, child maintenance, DLA, PIP, Armed Forces Independence Payment, war pensions, Carer’s Allowance and the ESA support component are not counted as income, and neither are the UC housing, limited capability for work and transitional protection elements.
- Each other adult in the home, such as a grown-up son or daughter, reduces your award by £10 a week, unless they get Pension Credit guarantee credit or Universal Credit with no earnings.
- Existing claimants were moved onto the grid automatically and did not need to reapply.
| Band | Discount | Single person | Couple | Household with 1 child | Household with 2+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | £0 to £150 | £0 to £212 | £0 to £286 | £0 to £357 |
| 2 | 75% | £150.01 to £200 | £212.01 to £254 | £286.01 to £322 | £357.01 to £448 |
| 3 | 50% | £200.01 to £251 | £254.01 to £291 | £322.01 to £388 | £448.01 to £550 |
| 4 | 25% | £251.01 to £368 | £291.01 to £408 | £388.01 to £479 | £550.01 to £647 |
No empty-home discount, and second homes pay double
There is no discount for an empty, unfurnished home in Folkestone & Hythe: the full charge starts on the day it becomes empty. After a year the premium is 100%, after five years 200% and after ten years 300%. A short spell of occupation does not reset the one-year clock. Second homes have paid a 100% premium since 1 April 2025. On a Band D home that is £5,077.50 a year.
Direct debits can be taken on the 1st, 8th, 16th or 26th of the month, over 10 or 12 instalments. The district's own Band D share is £313.92, the highest of Kent's 12 district councils in 2026/27. Kent County Council takes £1,758.60.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Folkestone and Hythe?
£2,538.75 a year in 2026/27, or £253.88 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Folkestone and Hythe?
Band C: 14,750 of 54,160 homes (27%). A Band C bill is £2,256.67 in 2026/27.
How much has Folkestone and Hythe council tax gone up?
4.2% this year, from £2,437.35 to £2,538.75 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 54%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Folkestone and Hythe?
District council £313.92; 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) £81.27 (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 I get 100% Council Tax Reduction in Folkestone & Hythe?
Yes, if your weekly income falls in Band 1 of the 2026/27 grid. That is up to £150 for a single person, £212 for a couple, £286 for a household with one child or £357 with two or more children.
Is there a discount for empty homes in Folkestone & Hythe?
No. Full council tax is due from the day a home becomes empty and unfurnished, and a premium is added after one year.
Which direct debit dates does Folkestone & Hythe offer?
The 1st, 8th, 16th or 26th of the month.
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)
- Folkestone & Hythe District Council – Council tax reduction
- Folkestone & Hythe District Council – Empty home council tax premiums
- Folkestone & Hythe District Council – Second home premium
- Folkestone & Hythe District Council – Pay by Direct Debit