Gateshead Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Gateshead is £2,715.81 for 2026/27, up 5.3% (£137.35) on last year. That is £324.29 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 291st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (58%), so the average bill per home is about £2,090.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, North East · Official England government statistics
Gateshead council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,810.54 | £181.05 | £150.88 | £1,357.91 | 56,080 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,112.30 | £211.23 | £176.02 | £1,584.22 | 13,350 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,414.05 | £241.41 | £201.17 | £1,810.54 | 16,160 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,715.81 | £271.58 | £226.32 | £2,036.86 | 6,130 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,319.32 | £331.93 | £276.61 | £2,489.49 | 2,880 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,922.84 | £392.28 | £326.90 | £2,942.13 | 920 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,526.35 | £452.64 | £377.20 | £3,394.76 | 390 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,431.62 | £543.16 | £452.64 | £4,073.72 | 50 |
- Gateshead
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Gateshead council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Gateshead but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,715.81 Band D charge, £2,396.07 (88%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,350.43 | 86.5% | £1,566.95 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £45.64 | 1.7% | £30.43 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £214.34 | 7.9% | £142.89 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £105.11 | 3.9% | £70.07 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £0.29 | 0.0% | £0.19 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,350 86.6%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £46 1.7%
- Police and crime commissioner £214 7.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £105 3.9%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Gateshead; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Gateshead council tax history
Band D in Gateshead has risen from £1,699.65 in 2016/17 to £2,715.81 in 2026/27 — 60% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.6%, the 76th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Gateshead Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,715.81 | +5.3% | £1,810.54 |
| 2025/26 | £2,578.46 | +5.2% | £1,718.97 |
| 2024/25 | £2,450.95 | +5.1% | £1,633.97 |
| 2023/24 | £2,331.96 | +5.3% | £1,554.64 |
| 2022/23 | £2,213.60 | +3.2% | £1,475.73 |
| 2021/22 | £2,144.63 | +4.9% | £1,429.75 |
| 2020/21 | £2,045.10 | +3.8% | £1,363.40 |
| 2019/20 | £1,970.80 | +5.0% | £1,313.87 |
| 2018/19 | £1,877.11 | +5.3% | £1,251.41 |
| 2017/18 | £1,782.55 | +4.9% | £1,188.37 |
| 2016/17 | £1,699.65 | – | £1,133.10 |
Homes by council tax band in Gateshead
Gateshead has 95,960 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 72% are in Bands A or B, so for most households the real bill is well below the Band D figure. The most common band is A, which costs £1,810.54 a year (£181.05 a month over 10 instalments).
Gateshead compared with North East
Gateshead is the 12th cheapest of 12 councils in North East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,525.66 (£190.15 less than here). Cheapest: Sunderland (£2,197.14); most expensive: Gateshead (£2,715.81).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Stockton-on-Tees | £2,589.83 | +4.9% |
| Northumberland | £2,596.94 | +5.4% |
| Durham | £2,622.15 | +2.8% |
| Gateshead | £2,715.81 | +5.3% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Gateshead drops from £1,810.54 to £1,357.91.
- Council Tax Reduction: Gateshead 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).
Gateshead's 5.3% 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.
Gateshead did not charge a second-homes premium in 2025/26
Gateshead Council told MHCLG in October 2025 that it had not applied the second-homes premium in 2025/26. Its 507 second homes paid the normal charge, £2,715.81 at Band D on 2026/27 rates, instead of double. It did charge the long-term empty premium. Gateshead reported its homes empty for one to two years in the same line as those empty for two to five years: 246 homes in that group paid 200%. Another 94 empty for five to ten years paid 300%, and 54 empty for over ten years paid 400%.
Council Tax Support carries more weight in Gateshead
Support for low-income households makes a bigger dent in Gateshead's tax base than in all but 14 of England’s 296 council tax areas. In 2025/26 Council Tax Support cost £24.56 million: £14.28 million for working-age households (58%) and £10.28 million for pensioners. It reduced the tax base by about 13,800 dwelling equivalents, around 16% of it, against 10.5% across England.
More than a third of Gateshead homes (36,725, or 39%) get the single person discount. The council also told MHCLG that it had used its section 13A power to grant discretionary reductions.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Gateshead?
£2,715.81 a year in 2026/27, or £271.58 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Gateshead?
Band A: 56,080 of 95,960 homes (58%). A Band A bill is £1,810.54 in 2026/27.
How much has Gateshead council tax gone up?
5.3% this year, from £2,578.46 to £2,715.81 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 60%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Gateshead?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,350.43; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £45.64; Police and crime commissioner £214.34; Fire and rescue authority £105.11; Parish/town council (average) £0.29 (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.
Does Gateshead charge double council tax on second homes?
It did not in 2025/26, according to the council’s October 2025 return to MHCLG. Check your 2026/27 bill for the current rules.
How much does Gateshead spend on Council Tax Support?
£24.56 million in 2025/26, including £14.28 million for working-age households.
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)
- MHCLG – Council Taxbase 2025 in England (local authority level data)
- legislation.gov.uk – Local Government Finance Act 1992, section 13A