Luton Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Luton is £2,439.93 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£119.50) on last year. That is £48.41 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 146th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (33%), so the average bill per home is about £2,027.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, East of England · Official England government statistics
Luton council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,626.62 | £162.66 | £135.55 | £1,219.97 | 21,590 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,897.72 | £189.77 | £158.14 | £1,423.29 | 28,110 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,168.83 | £216.88 | £180.74 | £1,626.62 | 22,880 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,439.93 | £243.99 | £203.33 | £1,829.95 | 8,020 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,982.14 | £298.21 | £248.51 | £2,236.60 | 3,520 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,524.34 | £352.43 | £293.70 | £2,643.26 | 1,130 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,066.55 | £406.66 | £338.88 | £3,049.91 | 290 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,879.86 | £487.99 | £406.66 | £3,659.89 | 30 |
- Luton
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Luton council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Luton but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,439.93 Band D charge, £2,019.62 (83%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,981.21 | 81.2% | £1,540.94 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £38.41 | 1.6% | £29.87 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £297.59 | 12.2% | £231.46 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £122.72 | 5.0% | £95.45 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,981 81.2%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £298 12.2%
- Fire and rescue authority £123 5.0%
Luton council tax history
Band D in Luton has risen from £1,546.34 in 2016/17 to £2,439.93 in 2026/27 — 58% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.5%, the 130th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Luton Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,439.93 | +5.1% | £1,897.72 |
| 2025/26 | £2,320.43 | +5.0% | £1,804.78 |
| 2024/25 | £2,210.00 | +4.9% | £1,718.89 |
| 2023/24 | £2,106.64 | +5.1% | £1,638.50 |
| 2022/23 | £2,003.71 | +3.1% | £1,558.44 |
| 2021/22 | £1,943.41 | +5.1% | £1,511.54 |
| 2020/21 | £1,849.70 | +4.0% | £1,438.66 |
| 2019/20 | £1,778.76 | +4.1% | £1,383.48 |
| 2018/19 | £1,708.98 | +5.8% | £1,329.21 |
| 2017/18 | £1,614.88 | +4.4% | £1,256.02 |
| 2016/17 | £1,546.34 | – | £1,202.71 |
Homes by council tax band in Luton
Luton has 85,570 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 58% 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 B, which costs £1,897.72 a year (£189.77 a month over 10 instalments).
Luton compared with East of England
Luton is the 29th cheapest of 45 councils in East of England, where the average Band D across councils is £2,391.20 (£48.73 less than here). Cheapest: Thurrock (£2,254.68); most expensive: Huntingdonshire (£2,556.40).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Three Rivers | £2,422.31 | +5% |
| Kings Lynn and West Norfolk | £2,430.13 | +4.8% |
| Broadland | £2,437.78 | +4.7% |
| Luton | £2,439.93 | +5.1% |
| Breckland | £2,443.67 | +4.9% |
| Watford | £2,446.70 | +4.4% |
| North Hertfordshire | £2,448.52 | +5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Luton drops from £1,897.72 to £1,423.29.
- Council Tax Reduction: Luton 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).
Luton'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.
Empty and second homes in Luton: premiums started a year later than elsewhere
Luton charges a 100% premium on second homes from April 2026, so a furnished home that is nobody's main residence now pays double. The law has allowed councils to charge it since 1 April 2025, so Luton started a year later than it could have. On a Band B home, the most common band here, a second home now costs £3,795.45 a year instead of £1,897.72.
An empty home can get an empty property discount for up to one month; after that the regular instalments are due for the rest of the first year. Long-term empty homes then pay more the longer they stay empty. The council says the premium can only be removed by bringing the home back into use.
- There is no premium on a home actively marketed for sale or let, for up to 12 months.
- There is no premium for 12 months after probate is granted.
- Homes that need, or are having, major repairs or structural changes get up to 12 months without the empty-homes premium.
- Homes left empty by armed forces members away on service, and annexes that form part of a main home, never pay the premium.
| Empty and unfurnished for | Charge | Band B bill 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 100% | £1,897.72 |
| 1 year or more | 200% | £3,795.45 |
| 5 years or more | 300% | £5,693.17 |
| 10 years or more | 400% | £7,590.89 |
Council Tax Reduction and backdating in Luton
Luton Borough Council runs its own Council Tax Reduction scheme. It is based on your circumstances (such as children and other adults living with you), all household income including benefits, savings and pensions, and the size of your bill. The council says three groups keep the same level of support they had before local schemes began: pensioners, people getting Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment, and people getting a War Disablement Pension or War Widow's or Widower's Pension.
Awards normally start on the Monday after the council receives your claim. Working-age claims can be backdated by up to one month, and only if you ask and show a good reason that lasted the whole period. Pension-age claims are backdated automatically by up to three months, as long as you provide proof of income and savings for that time.
Paying in Luton, and help for care leavers
Bills are normally split into 10 monthly payments, April to January. You can ask for 12 payments ending in March, but only at the start of the year. A request made later is spread over the months left. Your account must be up to date and not under recovery action. Once you switch, future bills stay on 12 payments until you say otherwise.
Young people aged 18 to 25 who recently left Luton Council care can get up to 100% off, depending on how many adults live in the home. The council checks entitlement every year and says it usually will not backdate the discount.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Luton?
£2,439.93 a year in 2026/27, or £243.99 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Luton?
Band B: 28,110 of 85,570 homes (33%). A Band B bill is £1,897.72 in 2026/27.
How much has Luton council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,320.43 to £2,439.93 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 58%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Luton?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,981.21; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38.41; Police and crime commissioner £297.59; Fire and rescue authority £122.72 (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.
When did Luton start charging double council tax on second homes?
From April 2026, a year after the law first allowed it. A Band B second home in Luton costs £3,795.45 in 2026/27.
Can I pay Luton council tax over 12 months?
Yes. Ask at the start of the financial year. Your account must be up to date and not under recovery action. Requests made later in the year are spread over the months left until March.
How far back can Luton backdate Council Tax Reduction?
Up to one month for working-age claimants with a good reason. Up to three months for pension-age claimants, and they do not need to ask.
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)
- GOV.UK – Guidance on council tax premiums on long-term empty homes and second homes
- Luton Council – Premium for long-term empty properties
- Luton Council – Premium for second homes
- Luton Council – Make a claim for Council Tax Reduction
- Luton Council – Backdating Council Tax Reduction claims
- Luton Council – Extend your Council Tax payments
- Luton Council – Care leavers Council Tax discount