Herefordshire Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Herefordshire is £2,574.37 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£125.20) on last year. That is £182.85 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 246th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (23%), so the average bill per home is about £2,510.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, West Midlands · Official England government statistics
Herefordshire council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,716.25 | £171.62 | £143.02 | £1,287.19 | 14,150 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,002.29 | £200.23 | £166.86 | £1,501.72 | 20,750 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,288.33 | £228.83 | £190.69 | £1,716.25 | 17,950 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,574.37 | £257.44 | £214.53 | £1,930.78 | 13,900 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,146.45 | £314.65 | £262.20 | £2,359.84 | 12,770 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,718.53 | £371.85 | £309.88 | £2,788.90 | 7,790 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,290.62 | £429.06 | £357.55 | £3,217.96 | 3,810 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,148.74 | £514.87 | £429.06 | £3,861.56 | 190 |
- Herefordshire
- England average
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Where your Herefordshire council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Herefordshire but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,574.37 Band D charge, £2,067.64 (80%) 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 B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,028.25 | 78.8% | £1,577.53 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £39.39 | 1.5% | £30.64 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £306.50 | 11.9% | £238.39 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £107.22 | 4.2% | £83.39 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £93.01 | 3.6% | £72.34 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,028 78.8%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £39 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £307 11.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £107 4.2%
- Parish/town council (average) £93 3.6%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Herefordshire; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Herefordshire council tax history
Band D in Herefordshire has risen from £1,644.79 in 2016/17 to £2,574.37 in 2026/27 — 57% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.5%, the 134th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Herefordshire Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,574.37 | +5.1% | £2,002.29 |
| 2025/26 | £2,449.17 | +5.1% | £1,904.91 |
| 2024/25 | £2,329.51 | +4.9% | £1,811.84 |
| 2023/24 | £2,221.40 | +5.1% | £1,727.76 |
| 2022/23 | £2,113.88 | +3.0% | £1,644.13 |
| 2021/22 | £2,051.61 | +5.0% | £1,595.70 |
| 2020/21 | £1,954.77 | +3.8% | £1,520.38 |
| 2019/20 | £1,882.86 | +5.5% | £1,464.45 |
| 2018/19 | £1,785.47 | +4.9% | £1,388.70 |
| 2017/18 | £1,702.24 | +3.5% | £1,323.96 |
| 2016/17 | £1,644.79 | – | £1,279.28 |
Homes by council tax band in Herefordshire
Herefordshire has 91,310 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 38% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £2,002.29 a year (£200.23 a month over 10 instalments).
Herefordshire compared with West Midlands
Herefordshire is the 29th cheapest of 30 councils in West Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,399.67 (£174.70 less than here). Cheapest: Dudley (£2,144.84); most expensive: Walsall (£2,627.48).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Shropshire | £2,528.18 | +9% |
| North Warwickshire | £2,532.10 | +4.1% |
| Wolverhampton | £2,538.99 | +5.2% |
| Herefordshire | £2,574.37 | +5.1% |
| Walsall | £2,627.48 | +5.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Herefordshire drops from £2,002.29 to £1,501.72.
- Council Tax Reduction: Herefordshire 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).
Herefordshire's 5.1% 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.
Herefordshire's 2026/27 bill, line by line
Herefordshire Council raised its own Band D charge 4.99% to £2,067.64 for 2026/27. West Mercia's police and crime commissioner raised the police share 5.15%, Hereford & Worcester Fire 4.89%, and parish precepts rose 8% on average. Together, the average Band D bill went up 5.11% to £2,574.37. The bill also carries levies of about £3.36 per Band D home for the Environment Agency, the River Lugg Internal Drainage Board and the Lower Severn IDB.
Council Tax Reduction: 100% now, cuts proposed for 2027
Herefordshire's working-age scheme can still cover 100% of the bill, whatever band your home is in. The council raised it from 80% to 100% in 2021/22 in response to the pandemic. The scheme costs about £16.4 million a year and supports more than 6,500 working-age adults and 4,700 pensioners. Working-age claimants must have under £6,000 in savings.
From 16 September to 4 November 2026 the council is consulting on changes from April 2027. The options are to cut the working-age maximum to 80% or 50%, base awards on the Band C charge for Band D homes and above, set a flat £15 a week deduction for each non-dependant, and stop awards worth less than £5 a week. The council estimates the Band A impact at £5.44 a week at 80%, rising to £13.25 a week at 50%. The current Band A bill is £1,716.25.
Empty homes and paying
- There is no discount for empty or refurbished homes. Premiums: 200% after 1 year, 300% after 5 and 400% after 10.
- The second homes premium (from April 2025) also covers holiday lets that do not meet the business rates rules for self-catering, and homes used for seasonal workers.
- Direct debit dates: the 1st, 10th, 15th or 26th. If you ask for 12 instalments, your date may move to the 26th.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Herefordshire?
£2,574.37 a year in 2026/27, or £257.44 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Herefordshire?
Band B: 20,750 of 91,310 homes (23%). A Band B bill is £2,002.29 in 2026/27.
How much has Herefordshire council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,449.17 to £2,574.37 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 57%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Herefordshire?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,028.25; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £39.39; Police and crime commissioner £306.50; Fire and rescue authority £107.22; Parish/town council (average) £93.01 (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.
Is Herefordshire changing Council Tax Reduction?
It is consulting until 4 November 2026 on cutting the working-age maximum from 100% to 80% or 50% from April 2027, plus a Band C cap and higher non-dependant deductions. No decision has been made yet.
Do holiday lets pay the second homes premium in Herefordshire?
They do if they do not meet the government’s business rates rules for self-catering properties.
What extra levies are on a Herefordshire bill?
Environment Agency and internal drainage board levies (River Lugg and Lower Severn), about £3.36 per Band D home 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)
- Herefordshire Council – How your Council Tax bill is calculated
- Herefordshire Council – Council Tax Reduction scheme consultation 2026
- Herefordshire Council – Council Tax Reduction
- Herefordshire Council – Premiums for empty properties and second homes
- Herefordshire Council – Set up a Council Tax direct debit