Lancaster Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Lancaster is £2,503.19 for 2026/27, up 4% (£95.69) on last year. That is £111.67 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 204th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (35%), so the average bill per home is about £2,114.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, North West · Official England government statistics
Lancaster council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,668.79 | £166.88 | £139.07 | £1,251.60 | 23,930 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,946.93 | £194.69 | £162.24 | £1,460.19 | 16,520 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,225.06 | £222.51 | £185.42 | £1,668.79 | 12,840 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,503.19 | £250.32 | £208.60 | £1,877.39 | 6,760 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,059.45 | £305.95 | £254.95 | £2,294.59 | 4,310 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,615.72 | £361.57 | £301.31 | £2,711.79 | 2,150 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,171.98 | £417.20 | £347.67 | £3,128.99 | 870 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,006.38 | £500.64 | £417.20 | £3,754.79 | 80 |
- Lancaster
- England average
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Where your Lancaster council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Lancaster but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,503.19 Band D charge, £272.20 (11%) 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 A |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £272.20 | 10.9% | £181.47 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,801.74 | 72.0% | £1,201.16 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £292.40 | 11.7% | £194.93 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £94.73 | 3.8% | £63.15 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £42.12 | 1.7% | £28.08 |
- District council £272 10.9%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,802 72.0%
- Police and crime commissioner £292 11.7%
- Fire and rescue authority £95 3.8%
- Parish/town council (average) £42 1.7%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Lancaster; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Lancaster council tax history
Band D in Lancaster has risen from £1,625.29 in 2016/17 to £2,503.19 in 2026/27 — 54% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.4%, the 175th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Lancaster Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,503.19 | +4.0% | £1,668.79 |
| 2025/26 | £2,407.50 | +4.8% | £1,605.00 |
| 2024/25 | £2,297.19 | +4.2% | £1,531.46 |
| 2023/24 | £2,204.91 | +5.3% | £1,469.94 |
| 2022/23 | £2,093.01 | +4.1% | £1,395.34 |
| 2021/22 | £2,011.49 | +4.2% | £1,340.99 |
| 2020/21 | £1,931.09 | +3.8% | £1,287.39 |
| 2019/20 | £1,860.49 | +4.8% | £1,240.33 |
| 2018/19 | £1,775.20 | +5.6% | £1,183.47 |
| 2017/18 | £1,681.19 | +3.4% | £1,120.79 |
| 2016/17 | £1,625.29 | – | £1,083.53 |
Homes by council tax band in Lancaster
Lancaster has 67,460 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 60% 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 £1,668.79 a year (£166.88 a month over 10 instalments).
Lancaster compared with North West
Lancaster is the 20th cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£19.97 less than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Fylde | £2,483.94 | +4% |
| Knowsley | £2,488.25 | +4.9% |
| Wirral | £2,500.59 | +5% |
| Lancaster | £2,503.19 | +4% |
| Westmorland and Furness | £2,507.99 | +5% |
| Cumberland | £2,511.32 | +4.9% |
| Blackpool | £2,513.22 | +5.1% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Lancaster drops from £1,668.79 to £1,251.60.
- Council Tax Reduction: Lancaster 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).
Lancaster's 4% 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.
Who gets your Lancaster council tax
Lancaster City Council sets only 10.9% of the average Band D bill, £272.20 of £2,503.19. Lancashire County Council takes £1,801.74, the Lancashire police and crime commissioner £292.40, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue £94.73. The district's parish and town councils add an average of £42.12. The parish figure is an average across the district, so your own bill is a little higher or lower depending on which parish you live in.
For a Band B home, the county's share alone is £1,401.35 a year, and the city council's £211.71.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Lancaster?
£2,503.19 a year in 2026/27, or £250.32 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Lancaster?
Band A: 23,930 of 67,460 homes (35%). A Band A bill is £1,668.79 in 2026/27.
How much has Lancaster council tax gone up?
4% this year, from £2,407.50 to £2,503.19 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 54%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Lancaster?
District council £272.20; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,801.74; Police and crime commissioner £292.40; Fire and rescue authority £94.73; Parish/town council (average) £42.12 (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.
How much of my Lancaster council tax goes to Lancaster City Council?
About 10.9%, or £272.20 of the average Band D bill in 2026/27. Most goes to Lancashire County Council.
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 (Table 10)
- 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)