Lincoln Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Lincoln is £2,323.08 for 2026/27, up 2.7% (£62.10) on last year. That is £68.44 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 70th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (61%), so the average bill per home is about £1,763.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, East Midlands · Official England government statistics
Lincoln council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,548.72 | £154.87 | £129.06 | £1,161.54 | 28,980 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,806.84 | £180.68 | £150.57 | £1,355.13 | 9,140 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,064.96 | £206.50 | £172.08 | £1,548.72 | 4,970 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,323.08 | £232.31 | £193.59 | £1,742.31 | 2,580 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,839.32 | £283.93 | £236.61 | £2,129.49 | 1,470 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,355.56 | £335.56 | £279.63 | £2,516.67 | 530 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,871.80 | £387.18 | £322.65 | £2,903.85 | 140 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,646.16 | £464.62 | £387.18 | £3,484.62 | 50 |
- Lincoln
- England average
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Where your Lincoln council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Lincoln but shared between 3 bodies. Of the £2,323.08 Band D charge, £316.98 (14%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £316.98 | 13.6% | £211.32 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,673.01 | 72.0% | £1,115.34 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £333.09 | 14.3% | £222.06 |
- District council £317 13.6%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,673 72.0%
- Police and crime commissioner £333 14.3%
Lincoln council tax history
Band D in Lincoln has risen from £1,584.86 in 2016/17 to £2,323.08 in 2026/27 — 47% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 21.3%, the 287th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Lincoln Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,323.08 | +2.7% | £1,548.72 |
| 2025/26 | £2,260.98 | +3.2% | £1,507.32 |
| 2024/25 | £2,190.87 | +4.6% | £1,460.58 |
| 2023/24 | £2,094.12 | +4.7% | £1,396.08 |
| 2022/23 | £1,999.26 | +4.4% | £1,332.84 |
| 2021/22 | £1,915.86 | +2.5% | £1,277.24 |
| 2020/21 | £1,869.03 | +3.3% | £1,246.02 |
| 2019/20 | £1,808.64 | +5.4% | £1,205.76 |
| 2018/19 | £1,715.94 | +4.7% | £1,143.96 |
| 2017/18 | £1,638.27 | +3.4% | £1,092.18 |
| 2016/17 | £1,584.86 | – | £1,056.57 |
Homes by council tax band in Lincoln
Lincoln has 47,860 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 80% 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 £1,548.72 a year (£154.87 a month over 10 instalments).
Lincoln compared with East Midlands
Lincoln is the 6th cheapest of 35 councils in East Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,457.41 (£134.33 more than here). Cheapest: South Kesteven (£2,260.00); most expensive: Nottingham (£2,755.39).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| South Holland | £2,278.20 | +3.3% |
| Derby | £2,306.00 | +5% |
| Boston | £2,308.73 | +3.2% |
| Lincoln | £2,323.08 | +2.7% |
| North Kesteven | £2,337.81 | +3.4% |
| Chesterfield | £2,339.49 | +4.8% |
| South Derbyshire | £2,339.61 | +4.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Lincoln drops from £1,548.72 to £1,161.54.
- Council Tax Reduction: Lincoln 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).
Lincoln's 2.7% 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.
How Lincoln's Council Tax Support is worked out
City of Lincoln Council runs its own means-tested Council Tax Support scheme for working-age residents. Since 2017 it has worked out support as if your home were in Band B, even if it is in a higher band. In 2026/27 a Band B bill is £1,806.84, while Band D is £2,323.08. So a claimant in a Band D home pays at least the £516.24 difference, even if they would otherwise get full support.
Most homes in the city are unaffected: 28,980 of 47,860 homes are in Band A, and another 9,140 are in Band B. Other rules set by the council:
- Working-age claimants with more than £6,000 in capital get nothing. The limit was cut from £8,000 in 2022.
- Backdating is limited to one month, and the minimum award is £2 a week (both introduced in 2017).
- Some groups are protected from the cuts. These include people getting a War Pension, disability or carer premiums, or any type of Employment and Support Allowance, and households with a disabled child.
- If you are in severe difficulty, you can apply to the Exceptional Hardship fund, which the council raised from £10,000 to £20,000 in 2018, or for a discretionary discount.
Empty homes and second homes in Lincoln
Lincoln gives a short break before charging full council tax on an empty home. An empty, unfurnished home gets a 100% discount for its first month, whoever owns it. After that, the full charge applies until it has been empty for 12 months. Then the charge rises to 200%, 300% after five years and 400% after ten. An empty, unfurnished home that needs major repair or structural alteration may instead get a 25% discount for up to a year. On a Band A home, the most common band here, that means £3,097.44 after one year and £6,194.88 after ten.
Furnished homes where nobody lives as their main home, including second homes, pay 200%. Exceptions include homes being actively marketed for sale or let (up to 12 months) and seasonal homes whose planning rules ban year-round living. If you let a holiday home for more than 70 days a year, the council says to ask the Valuation Office Agency whether it should pay business rates instead.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Lincoln?
£2,323.08 a year in 2026/27, or £232.31 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Lincoln?
Band A: 28,980 of 47,860 homes (61%). A Band A bill is £1,548.72 in 2026/27.
How much has Lincoln council tax gone up?
2.7% this year, from £2,260.98 to £2,323.08 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 47%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Lincoln?
District council £316.98; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,673.01; Police and crime commissioner £333.09 (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 there a discount on an empty home in Lincoln?
Yes, but only for one month. An unfurnished empty home gets a 100% discount for its first month. The full charge applies after that, and a premium starts once it has been empty for 12 months.
Why does my Lincoln Council Tax Support not cover my whole bill?
Lincoln works out working-age support as if your home were in Band B (£1,806.84 in 2026/27). If you live in Band C or above, you pay the difference yourself.
How far back can Lincoln backdate Council Tax Support?
One month for working-age claims. Apply as soon as your income drops.
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)
- City of Lincoln Council – Council Tax Support
- City of Lincoln Council – Changes to Council Tax Support
- City of Lincoln Council – Empty properties and second homes