Guildford Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Guildford is £2,547.30 for 2026/27, up 4.9% (£118.41) on last year. That is £155.78 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 232nd lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band D (27%), so the average bill per home is about £2,927.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Guildford council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,698.20 | £169.82 | £141.52 | £1,273.65 | 2,310 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,981.23 | £198.12 | £165.10 | £1,485.93 | 3,780 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,264.27 | £226.43 | £188.69 | £1,698.20 | 12,890 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,547.30 | £254.73 | £212.28 | £1,910.48 | 17,020 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,113.37 | £311.34 | £259.45 | £2,335.03 | 10,710 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,679.43 | £367.94 | £306.62 | £2,759.58 | 6,960 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,245.50 | £424.55 | £353.79 | £3,184.13 | 7,650 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,094.60 | £509.46 | £424.55 | £3,820.95 | 1,880 |
- Guildford
- England average
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Where your Guildford council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Guildford but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,547.30 Band D charge, £210.19 (8%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £210.19 | 8.3% | £210.19 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,938.42 | 76.1% | £1,938.42 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £352.57 | 13.8% | £352.57 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £46.12 | 1.8% | £46.12 |
- District council £210 8.3%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,938 76.1%
- Police and crime commissioner £353 13.8%
- Parish/town council (average) £46 1.8%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Guildford; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Guildford council tax history
Band D in Guildford has risen from £1,671.76 in 2016/17 to £2,547.30 in 2026/27 — 52% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.2%, the 188th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Guildford Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,547.30 | +4.9% | £2,547.30 |
| 2025/26 | £2,428.89 | +4.7% | £2,428.89 |
| 2024/25 | £2,319.25 | +4.7% | £2,319.25 |
| 2023/24 | £2,214.77 | +3.3% | £2,214.77 |
| 2022/23 | £2,143.57 | +4.5% | £2,143.57 |
| 2021/22 | £2,050.33 | +3.0% | £2,050.33 |
| 2020/21 | £1,991.40 | +3.9% | £1,991.40 |
| 2019/20 | £1,916.54 | +4.0% | £1,916.54 |
| 2018/19 | £1,843.26 | +5.6% | £1,843.26 |
| 2017/18 | £1,745.77 | +4.4% | £1,745.77 |
| 2016/17 | £1,671.76 | – | £1,671.76 |
Homes by council tax band in Guildford
Guildford has 63,200 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 10% 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 D, which costs £2,547.30 a year (£254.73 a month over 10 instalments).
Guildford compared with South East
Guildford is the 44th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£71.85 less than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Reigate and Banstead | £2,566.61 | +4.4% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band D bill in Guildford drops from £2,547.30 to £1,910.48.
- Council Tax Reduction: Guildford 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).
Guildford'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.
Guildford's Local Council Tax Support rules
Guildford Borough Council sets its own working-age Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) rules, and they are stricter than the old national scheme in several ways. Around 4,000 households get help. Working-age households in Band F, G or H homes cannot get any support. In Band E, support is worked out on the Band D charge, £2,547.30 in 2026/27 rather than the full £3,113.37.
- Capital limit: £6,000, cut from £16,000 in 2013.
- Minimum award: £10 a week. Below that, nothing is paid.
- Backdating: no more than one month (it was cut from six months to three in 2013, then to one in 2018).
- No Second Adult Rebate for working-age claimants, and Child Benefit and maintenance are counted as income.
- Self-employed claimants are treated as earning at least 35 hours a week at the National Minimum Wage.
- A discretionary hardship fund of £40,000 is available in 2026/27 for people struggling after their award.
Second homes, empty homes and care leavers
Guildford charges a 100% premium on second homes, so a furnished home that is nobody's main residence pays double: £7,358.87 for a Band F home. The council's definition includes homes used only occasionally and furnished lets between tenants. After probate a home can be exempt for six months and then excepted from the premium for a further six months.
An empty, unfurnished home is exempt for only seven days, and a new owner or tenant does not get a fresh seven days. After that the full charge applies, and since 1 April 2025 a premium is added once the home has been empty for a year instead of two.
Surrey County Council care leavers under 25 who are named on a Guildford bill get 100% off if they are the only payer. The reduction is 50% if they share the bill with one other person and 33% with two others, applied after all other discounts. It ends on their 25th birthday.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Guildford?
£2,547.30 a year in 2026/27, or £254.73 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Guildford?
Band D: 17,020 of 63,200 homes (27%). A Band D bill is £2,547.30 in 2026/27.
How much has Guildford council tax gone up?
4.9% this year, from £2,428.89 to £2,547.30 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 52%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Guildford?
District council £210.19; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,938.42; Police and crime commissioner £352.57; Parish/town council (average) £46.12 (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 council tax support in Guildford if I live in a Band F, G or H home?
Not if you are of working age. Guildford’s scheme has given no entitlement in Bands F to H since 2014, and limits Band E claims to the Band D charge.
What is the savings limit for council tax support in Guildford?
£6,000 for working-age claimants. Pension-age claimants follow the national rules, with a £16,000 limit.
How long is an empty home exempt from council tax in Guildford?
Seven days from when it becomes unoccupied and unfurnished. After that the full charge applies, and a premium is added after a year.
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)
- Guildford Borough Council – Local council tax support scheme
- Guildford Borough Council – Second homes
- Guildford Borough Council – Reductions for empty homes
- Guildford Borough Council – Surrey County Council care leavers under 25