Medway Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Medway is £2,328.55 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£113.17) on last year. That is £62.97 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 74th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (32%), so the average bill per home is about £2,118.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South East · Official England government statistics
Medway council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,552.37 | £155.24 | £129.36 | £1,164.28 | 11,540 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,811.09 | £181.11 | £150.92 | £1,358.32 | 38,960 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,069.82 | £206.98 | £172.49 | £1,552.37 | 35,990 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,328.55 | £232.86 | £194.05 | £1,746.41 | 19,650 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,846.01 | £284.60 | £237.17 | £2,134.50 | 10,310 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,363.46 | £336.35 | £280.29 | £2,522.60 | 4,520 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,880.92 | £388.09 | £323.41 | £2,910.69 | 1,590 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,657.10 | £465.71 | £388.09 | £3,492.83 | 60 |
- Medway
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Medway council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Medway but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,328.55 Band D charge, £1,934.33 (83%) 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) | £1,897.48 | 81.5% | £1,475.82 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £36.85 | 1.6% | £28.66 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.15 | 12.2% | £221.78 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.81 | 4.3% | £77.63 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £9.26 | 0.4% | £7.20 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,897 81.5%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £37 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 12.2%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 4.3%
- Parish/town council (average) £9 0.4%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Medway; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Medway council tax history
Band D in Medway has risen from £1,463.73 in 2016/17 to £2,328.55 in 2026/27 — 59% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.8%, the 107th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Medway Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,328.55 | +5.1% | £1,811.09 |
| 2025/26 | £2,215.38 | +5.1% | £1,723.07 |
| 2024/25 | £2,108.35 | +5.0% | £1,639.83 |
| 2023/24 | £2,008.56 | +5.2% | £1,562.21 |
| 2022/23 | £1,908.64 | +3.1% | £1,484.50 |
| 2021/22 | £1,850.45 | +5.1% | £1,439.24 |
| 2020/21 | £1,760.26 | +4.0% | £1,369.09 |
| 2019/20 | £1,692.01 | +4.2% | £1,316.01 |
| 2018/19 | £1,624.39 | +6.0% | £1,263.41 |
| 2017/18 | £1,532.05 | +4.7% | £1,191.59 |
| 2016/17 | £1,463.73 | – | £1,138.46 |
Homes by council tax band in Medway
Medway has 122,620 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 41% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,811.09 a year (£181.11 a month over 10 instalments).
Medway compared with South East
Medway is the 9th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£146.90 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Test Valley | £2,305.52 | +5% |
| Havant | £2,320.28 | +4.9% |
| Rushmoor | £2,320.28 | +4.9% |
| Medway | £2,328.55 | +5.1% |
| Eastleigh | £2,342.21 | +5.1% |
| East Hampshire | £2,343.92 | +5% |
| Gosport | £2,344.29 | +4.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Medway drops from £1,811.09 to £1,358.32.
- Council Tax Reduction: Medway 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).
Medway'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.
Medway's income-banded Council Tax Reduction grid
Medway Council works out working-age Council Tax Reduction from a grid based on your weekly income, not a full means test. The most you can get is 65% off. People on Income Support, income-related ESA or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance go straight into the 65% band. To claim, you need less than £16,000 in savings and capital (unless you get Pension Credit), you must be liable for the bill, and you must not be a full-time student.
Worked example: a single person with no children earning £150 a week falls in the 55% band. In a Band B home (£1,811.09 in 2026/27), they get £996.10 off and pay £814.99. On the same income, a couple with two children falls in the top 65% band and pays £633.88.
- Weekly income bands are taken from Medway Council's Council Tax Reduction scheme page.
- People getting a War Disablement Pension or War Widow's or Widower's Pension are not put on the banded grid.
| Reduction | Single, no children | Couple, no children | Couple or lone parent, 1 child | 2+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65% | £0–£117.99 | £0–£159.99 | £0–£221.99 | £0–£294.99 |
| 55% | £118–£172.99 | £160–£214.99 | £222–£283.99 | £295–£356.99 |
| 45% | £173–£227.99 | £215–£269.99 | £284–£343.99 | £357–£418.99 |
| 35% | £228–£283.99 | £270–£325.99 | £344–£406.99 | £419–£479.99 |
| 20% | £284–£332.99 | £326–£380.99 | £407–£466.99 | £480–£553.99 |
| 0% | £333+ | £381+ | £467+ | £554+ |
Empty homes, second homes and paying in Medway
Since 1 April 2024, Medway gives no discount on empty homes that need major repairs or structural work. A home empty and unfurnished for 1 to 5 years pays double. That rises to 300% after 5 years and 400% after 10. Since 1 April 2025, second homes also pay a 100% premium. A Band B second home costs £3,622.19 instead of £1,811.09.
There is no premium on homes for sale or let (up to 12 months from first advert), for 12 months after probate, or on seasonal homes that cannot be lived in all year. Major repairs get up to 12 months without the empty-homes premium. Direct debits can be taken on the 1st, 15th or 28th, over 10 or 12 months. Approved Medway foster carers living in Medway get £600 a year towards their council tax from the fostering service.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Medway?
£2,328.55 a year in 2026/27, or £232.86 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Medway?
Band B: 38,960 of 122,620 homes (32%). A Band B bill is £1,811.09 in 2026/27.
How much has Medway council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,215.38 to £2,328.55 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 59%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Medway?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,897.48; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36.85; Police and crime commissioner £285.15; Fire and rescue authority £99.81; Parish/town council (average) £9.26 (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.
What is the maximum Council Tax Reduction in Medway?
65% of the bill for working-age claimants. You are placed in a band based on your weekly income and household. People on Income Support, income-related ESA or income-based JSA automatically get 65%.
Which direct debit dates does Medway offer?
The 1st, 15th or 28th of the month, over 10 or 12 monthly payments. Any change must reach the council more than 5 working days before the next payment.
Do foster carers get help with council tax in Medway?
Yes. Approved Medway Council foster carers who live in Medway get £600 a year towards their council tax from the fostering service.
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)
- Medway Council – Council Tax Reduction scheme
- Medway Council – Council Tax premiums for empty and second homes
- Medway Council – Empty property exemptions
- Medway Council – Pay your Council Tax
- Medway Council – Other reductions