Harborough Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Harborough is £2,389.87 for 2026/27, up 2.8% (£64.91) on last year. That is £1.65 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 113th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (22%), so the average bill per home is about £2,439.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, East Midlands · Official England government statistics
Harborough council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,593.25 | £159.32 | £132.77 | £1,194.94 | 4,800 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,858.79 | £185.88 | £154.90 | £1,394.09 | 9,870 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,124.33 | £212.43 | £177.03 | £1,593.25 | 8,760 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,389.87 | £238.99 | £199.16 | £1,792.40 | 7,240 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,920.95 | £292.10 | £243.41 | £2,190.71 | 7,510 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,452.03 | £345.20 | £287.67 | £2,589.03 | 4,190 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,983.12 | £398.31 | £331.93 | £2,987.34 | 2,860 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,779.74 | £477.97 | £398.31 | £3,584.81 | 260 |
- Harborough
- England average
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Where your Harborough council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Harborough but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,389.87 Band D charge, £174.13 (7%) 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 B |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £174.13 | 7.3% | £135.43 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,731.79 | 72.5% | £1,346.95 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £315.23 | 13.2% | £245.18 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £91.65 | 3.8% | £71.28 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £77.07 | 3.2% | £59.94 |
- District council £174 7.3%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,732 72.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £315 13.2%
- Fire and rescue authority £92 3.8%
- Parish/town council (average) £77 3.2%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Harborough; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Harborough council tax history
Band D in Harborough has risen from £1,574.94 in 2016/17 to £2,389.87 in 2026/27 — 52% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 22.1%, the 282nd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Harborough Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,389.87 | +2.8% | £1,858.79 |
| 2025/26 | £2,324.96 | +5.1% | £1,808.30 |
| 2024/25 | £2,212.48 | +4.5% | £1,720.82 |
| 2023/24 | £2,117.01 | +4.8% | £1,646.56 |
| 2022/23 | £2,020.00 | +3.2% | £1,571.11 |
| 2021/22 | £1,957.36 | +4.9% | £1,522.39 |
| 2020/21 | £1,865.39 | +3.7% | £1,450.86 |
| 2019/20 | £1,799.63 | +4.6% | £1,399.71 |
| 2018/19 | £1,721.06 | +5.4% | £1,338.60 |
| 2017/18 | £1,632.56 | +3.7% | £1,269.77 |
| 2016/17 | £1,574.94 | – | £1,224.95 |
Homes by council tax band in Harborough
Harborough has 45,490 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 32% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,858.79 a year (£185.88 a month over 10 instalments).
Harborough compared with East Midlands
Harborough is the 14th cheapest of 35 councils in East Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,457.41 (£67.54 more than here). Cheapest: South Kesteven (£2,260.00); most expensive: Nottingham (£2,755.39).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Erewash | £2,360.64 | +4.5% |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | £2,382.62 | +3.4% |
| High Peak | £2,384.66 | +4.8% |
| Harborough | £2,389.87 | +2.8% |
| Charnwood | £2,405.64 | +3.4% |
| Oadby and Wigston | £2,406.85 | +3.3% |
| Amber Valley | £2,407.69 | +4.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Harborough drops from £1,858.79 to £1,394.09.
- Council Tax Reduction: Harborough 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).
Harborough's 2.8% 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.
Harborough's support scheme and empty homes rules
Harborough's Council Tax Support scheme makes every working-age claimant pay at least 15% of their bill, so the most it can cover is 85%. On a Band C home (£2,124.33 in 2026/27) the lowest possible working-age bill is about £318.65 a year. Pension-age claimants and war widows are assessed on the full charge. You cannot get support with savings over £16,000, unless you receive Pension Credit guarantee credit. Working-age claims can be backdated by up to 6 months, and pension-age claims by up to 3 months, if you can show good cause.
Since 1 April 2025 Harborough gives no discount at all on empty, unfurnished homes. A home empty for more than a year pays a 100% premium, rising to 200% after 5 years and 300% after 10 years. Harborough added its second homes premium later than many councils: the 100% premium on furnished homes with no resident starts on 1 April 2026. A home kept furnished because the owner must live elsewhere for work can get a 50% discount instead.
- Direct debit dates: the 1st, 8th, 15th or 25th of the month. Bills run over 10 months unless you email to ask for 12.
- If you set up a direct debit while you are in arrears, the arrears are taken in one go on your next payment date (unless they are already with enforcement agents or under an attachment).
- For Council Tax Support, Harborough does not apply the mixed-age couple rule: if only one of a couple has reached State Pension age, the claim is assessed as a pension-age claim on the full charge.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Harborough?
£2,389.87 a year in 2026/27, or £238.99 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Harborough?
Band B: 9,870 of 45,490 homes (22%). A Band B bill is £1,858.79 in 2026/27.
How much has Harborough council tax gone up?
2.8% this year, from £2,324.96 to £2,389.87 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 52%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Harborough?
District council £174.13; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,731.79; Police and crime commissioner £315.23; Fire and rescue authority £91.65; Parish/town council (average) £77.07 (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.
When does Harborough start charging double council tax on second homes?
From 1 April 2026. A Band D second home pays £4,779.74 in 2026/27.
What is the most Council Tax Support a working-age person can get in Harborough?
85% of the bill, because every working-age claimant must pay at least 15%.
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)
- Harborough DC – Council Tax Support
- Harborough DC – Empty and unoccupied property
- Harborough DC – Set up a Direct Debit
- Harborough DC – Make a Council Tax payment