Hertsmere Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Hertsmere is £2,405.83 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£116.61) on last year. That is £14.31 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 122nd lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band D (33%), so the average bill per home is about £2,755.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, East of England · Official England government statistics
Hertsmere council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,603.89 | £160.39 | £133.66 | £1,202.92 | 820 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,871.20 | £187.12 | £155.93 | £1,403.40 | 3,110 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,138.52 | £213.85 | £178.21 | £1,603.89 | 7,460 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,405.83 | £240.58 | £200.49 | £1,804.37 | 14,970 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,940.46 | £294.05 | £245.04 | £2,205.34 | 9,000 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,475.09 | £347.51 | £289.59 | £2,606.32 | 4,640 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,009.72 | £400.97 | £334.14 | £3,007.29 | 4,760 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,811.66 | £481.17 | £400.97 | £3,608.75 | 1,240 |
- Hertsmere
- England average
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Where your Hertsmere council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Hertsmere but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,405.83 Band D charge, £216.34 (9%) 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 | £216.34 | 9.0% | £216.34 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,858.19 | 77.2% | £1,858.19 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £280.00 | 11.6% | £280.00 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £51.30 | 2.1% | £51.30 |
- District council £216 9.0%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,858 77.2%
- Police and crime commissioner £280 11.6%
- Parish/town council (average) £51 2.1%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Hertsmere; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Hertsmere council tax history
Band D in Hertsmere has risen from £1,524.57 in 2016/17 to £2,405.83 in 2026/27 — 58% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.6%, the 78th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Hertsmere Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,405.83 | +5.1% | £2,405.83 |
| 2025/26 | £2,289.22 | +5.0% | £2,289.22 |
| 2024/25 | £2,179.19 | +5.0% | £2,179.19 |
| 2023/24 | £2,075.94 | +5.1% | £2,075.94 |
| 2022/23 | £1,975.34 | +4.0% | £1,975.34 |
| 2021/22 | £1,900.21 | +4.1% | £1,900.21 |
| 2020/21 | £1,824.93 | +4.0% | £1,824.93 |
| 2019/20 | £1,755.19 | +4.1% | £1,755.19 |
| 2018/19 | £1,686.32 | +5.8% | £1,686.32 |
| 2017/18 | £1,594.29 | +4.6% | £1,594.29 |
| 2016/17 | £1,524.57 | – | £1,524.57 |
Homes by council tax band in Hertsmere
Hertsmere has 46,000 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 9% 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 £2,405.83 a year (£240.58 a month over 10 instalments).
Hertsmere compared with East of England
Hertsmere is the 22nd cheapest of 45 councils in East of England, where the average Band D across councils is £2,391.20 (£14.63 less than here). Cheapest: Thurrock (£2,254.68); most expensive: Huntingdonshire (£2,556.40).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| West Suffolk | £2,351.47 | +4.8% |
| Rochford | £2,363.48 | +4.2% |
| Stevenage | £2,391.97 | +4.9% |
| Hertsmere | £2,405.83 | +5.1% |
| Dacorum | £2,408.51 | +5% |
| Great Yarmouth | £2,414.41 | +4.7% |
| St Albans | £2,419.22 | +4.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band D bill in Hertsmere drops from £2,405.83 to £1,804.37.
- Council Tax Reduction: Hertsmere 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).
Hertsmere'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.
Hertsmere's banded support for Universal Credit claimants
If you get Universal Credit, Hertsmere works out Council Tax Support from your earnings alone, using figures sent directly by the DWP, so you do not need to send payslips. Other income, including the Universal Credit itself, is ignored. Claimants who are not in a protected group get 80% with no earnings or under £80 a week, 60% up to £125, 40% up to £250, and 20% up to £498. Protected groups get 100% when out of work: lone parents with a child under 5, anyone getting DLA or PIP, and anyone on ESA. Support for non-protected claimants is based on no more than the Band D charge.
The council's own worked examples show how the Band D cap bites. A couple with no children in a Band E home in Bushey, earning £251 a week, falls in the 20% band, and that 20% is applied to the Band D charge, not their Band E bill. A lone parent with a child under 5 on the same earnings is protected, so 20% is applied to their full Band E bill after the single person discount. (The examples use an earlier year's charges.) In 2026/27, Band D across Hertsmere averages £2,405.83. Support usually starts on the Monday after the claim arrives.
Empty and second homes in Hertsmere
Hertsmere withdrew all empty home discounts on 1 April 2022. Before that, the council offered 10% off second homes, 100% for 2 months on empty homes, and 50% for major repairs. Empty homes, including new builds and homes under major works, now pay in full from the first day. A 100% premium is added after 12 months, 200% after 5 years and 300% after 10. If someone lives in the home for under 6 months, the empty period does not reset. Second homes have paid an immediate 100% premium since 1 April 2025.
- Instalments normally run from 1 April to 1 January. Direct debit is taken on the 1st or 15th. You can ask to pay in two instalments.
- Hertsmere has no separate fire precept. Fire is funded through Hertfordshire County Council's £1,858.19 Band D share.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Hertsmere?
£2,405.83 a year in 2026/27, or £240.58 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Hertsmere?
Band D: 14,970 of 46,000 homes (33%). A Band D bill is £2,405.83 in 2026/27.
How much has Hertsmere council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,289.22 to £2,405.83 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 58%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Hertsmere?
District council £216.34; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,858.19; Police and crime commissioner £280.00; Parish/town council (average) £51.30 (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.
How does Hertsmere work out Council Tax Support on Universal Credit?
From your earnings only, using the DWP data. Support ranges from 80% (100% for protected groups out of work) down to nothing above £498 a week.
Is there an empty homes discount in Hertsmere?
No. All empty home discounts were removed on 1 April 2022, and a premium applies after 12 months.
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)
- Hertsmere BC – Council Tax Support Banded Scheme
- Hertsmere BC – Claim Council Tax support
- Hertsmere BC – Council Tax Empty and Second Homes
- Hertsmere BC – Discounts and Council Tax Support
- Hertsmere BC – How to pay your Council Tax