Hartlepool Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Hartlepool is £2,560.20 for 2026/27, up 2.5% (£61.67) on last year. That is £168.68 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 241st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (52%), so the average bill per home is about £2,064.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, North East · Official England government statistics
Hartlepool council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,706.80 | £170.68 | £142.23 | £1,280.10 | 24,100 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,991.27 | £199.13 | £165.94 | £1,493.45 | 7,900 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,275.73 | £227.57 | £189.64 | £1,706.80 | 6,910 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,560.20 | £256.02 | £213.35 | £1,920.15 | 3,740 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,129.13 | £312.91 | £260.76 | £2,346.85 | 2,160 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,698.07 | £369.81 | £308.17 | £2,773.55 | 990 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,267.00 | £426.70 | £355.58 | £3,200.25 | 710 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,120.40 | £512.04 | £426.70 | £3,840.30 | 120 |
- Hartlepool
- England average
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Where your Hartlepool council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Hartlepool but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,560.20 Band D charge, £2,124.69 (83%) 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) | £2,083.44 | 81.4% | £1,388.96 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £41.25 | 1.6% | £27.50 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £332.73 | 13.0% | £221.82 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.46 | 3.9% | £66.31 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £3.32 | 0.1% | £2.21 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,083 81.4%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £41 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £333 13.0%
- Fire and rescue authority £99 3.9%
- Parish/town council (average) £3 0.1%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Hartlepool; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Hartlepool council tax history
Band D in Hartlepool has risen from £1,757.20 in 2016/17 to £2,560.20 in 2026/27 — 46% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 22.0%, the 284th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Hartlepool Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,560.20 | +2.5% | £1,706.80 |
| 2025/26 | £2,498.53 | +5.0% | £1,665.69 |
| 2024/25 | £2,380.35 | +3.2% | £1,586.90 |
| 2023/24 | £2,307.01 | +5.0% | £1,538.01 |
| 2022/23 | £2,196.67 | +4.7% | £1,464.45 |
| 2021/22 | £2,098.72 | +0.3% | £1,399.15 |
| 2020/21 | £2,091.81 | +3.8% | £1,394.54 |
| 2019/20 | £2,014.58 | +4.6% | £1,343.05 |
| 2018/19 | £1,925.10 | +4.9% | £1,283.40 |
| 2017/18 | £1,835.05 | +4.4% | £1,223.37 |
| 2016/17 | £1,757.20 | – | £1,171.47 |
Homes by council tax band in Hartlepool
Hartlepool has 46,630 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 69% 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 £1,706.80 a year (£170.68 a month over 10 instalments).
Hartlepool compared with North East
Hartlepool is the 8th cheapest of 12 councils in North East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,525.66 (£34.54 less than here). Cheapest: Sunderland (£2,197.14); most expensive: Gateshead (£2,715.81).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £2,542.19 | +5.3% |
| Redcar and Cleveland | £2,544.48 | +4.9% |
| Middlesbrough | £2,549.16 | +2.5% |
| Hartlepool | £2,560.20 | +2.5% |
| Stockton-on-Tees | £2,589.83 | +4.9% |
| Northumberland | £2,596.94 | +5.4% |
| Durham | £2,622.15 | +2.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Hartlepool drops from £1,706.80 to £1,280.10.
- Council Tax Reduction: Hartlepool 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).
Hartlepool's 2.5% 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.
Why Hartlepool's bill rose so little in 2026/27
On 3 March 2026 Hartlepool's full council voted unanimously to freeze its core council tax for 2026/27 and raise only the adult social care precept, by 1.98%. In the precept split, the core charge (including adult social care raised in earlier years) is £2,083.44 at Band D, and this year's adult social care increase, the only council element that rose, adds £41.25. With police and fire increases included, the area Band D bill rose 2.5%, from £2,498.53 to £2,560.20. The council says this is the lowest increase in the North East, about 53p a week at Band A.
The council links its budget pressure to children's social care. Spending there has risen by more than £20 million in four years, and some specialist placements cost over £10,000 a week.
Hartlepool's banded support scheme and empty homes
Since 1 April 2024 working-age Council Tax Support in Hartlepool has used income bands, with up to 90% off the bill. A single person with net income up to £116.20 a week is in Band 1 (90%). Couples and families have higher thresholds. Each non-dependant adult reduces support by £5, and the first £25 of weekly earnings is ignored. You must have less than £10,000 in savings. If you are on Universal Credit, the limited capability for work, carer, disabled child and childcare elements are ignored as income.
- Empty and unfurnished homes get 100% off for 1 month, then pay the full charge. The premium is 100% after 1 year, 200% after 5 years and 300% after 10 years.
- Unusually, Hartlepool does not charge the second homes premium from day one. A furnished home with no resident pays the full charge from the date it becomes unoccupied, and the 100% premium is added only after a year. A second home needed for work may get 50% off.
- Homes undergoing major structural repairs can get 50% off for up to 12 months. New kitchens, bathrooms, rewiring or redecorating do not count.
- Direct debit can be monthly on the 1st, 10th, 20th or 28th (10 or 12 instalments), or weekly or fortnightly on Mondays or Fridays.
- If you are in arrears you may get a message from 07478724656. The council says this contact service is genuine and is powered by artificial intelligence.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Hartlepool?
£2,560.20 a year in 2026/27, or £256.02 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Hartlepool?
Band A: 24,100 of 46,630 homes (52%). A Band A bill is £1,706.80 in 2026/27.
How much has Hartlepool council tax gone up?
2.5% this year, from £2,498.53 to £2,560.20 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 46%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Hartlepool?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,083.44; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £41.25; Police and crime commissioner £332.73; Fire and rescue authority £99.46; Parish/town council (average) £3.32 (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.
Did Hartlepool freeze council tax in 2026/27?
The core council tax was frozen. Only the adult social care precept rose, by 1.98%. Police and fire charges also went up, so the total bill still increased.
Can I pay Hartlepool council tax weekly?
Yes. Direct debit can be weekly or fortnightly on a Monday or Friday, as well as monthly on the 1st, 10th, 20th or 28th.
What is the most working-age Council Tax Support in Hartlepool?
90% of the bill, for households in the lowest income band.
When does the second homes premium start in Hartlepool?
Only after a home has been unoccupied and furnished for a year. A Band D second home then pays £5,120.40 in 2026/27.
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)
- Hartlepool BC – Core Council Tax frozen (5 March 2026)
- Hartlepool BC – Apply for working age Council Tax Support
- Hartlepool BC – Council Tax charges for empty properties
- Hartlepool BC – How to pay your Council Tax
- Hartlepool BC – Struggling to pay your Council Tax?