Middlesbrough Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Middlesbrough is £2,549.16 for 2026/27, up 2.5% (£61.51) on last year. That is £157.64 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 234th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (50%), so the average bill per home is about £2,039.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, North East · Official England government statistics
Middlesbrough council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,699.44 | £169.94 | £141.62 | £1,274.58 | 33,110 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,982.68 | £198.27 | £165.22 | £1,487.01 | 11,760 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,265.92 | £226.59 | £188.83 | £1,699.44 | 11,700 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,549.16 | £254.92 | £212.43 | £1,911.87 | 5,690 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,115.64 | £311.56 | £259.64 | £2,336.73 | 2,870 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,682.12 | £368.21 | £306.84 | £2,761.59 | 1,070 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,248.60 | £424.86 | £354.05 | £3,186.45 | 610 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,098.32 | £509.83 | £424.86 | £3,823.74 | 50 |
- Middlesbrough
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Middlesbrough council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Middlesbrough but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,549.16 Band D charge, £2,115.86 (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 A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,074.34 | 81.4% | £1,382.89 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £41.52 | 1.6% | £27.68 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £332.73 | 13.1% | £221.82 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.46 | 3.9% | £66.31 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £1.11 | 0.0% | £0.74 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,074 81.4%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £42 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £333 13.1%
- Fire and rescue authority £99 3.9%
- Parish/town council (average) £1 0.0%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Middlesbrough; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Middlesbrough council tax history
Band D in Middlesbrough has risen from £1,717.58 in 2016/17 to £2,549.16 in 2026/27 — 48% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 21.2%, the 289th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Middlesbrough Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,549.16 | +2.5% | £1,699.44 |
| 2025/26 | £2,487.65 | +5.0% | £1,658.43 |
| 2024/25 | £2,370.01 | +4.8% | £1,580.01 |
| 2023/24 | £2,260.41 | +4.3% | £1,506.94 |
| 2022/23 | £2,168.17 | +3.1% | £1,445.45 |
| 2021/22 | £2,103.73 | +2.6% | £1,402.49 |
| 2020/21 | £2,050.00 | +3.9% | £1,366.67 |
| 2019/20 | £1,972.89 | +5.6% | £1,315.26 |
| 2018/19 | £1,868.53 | +5.0% | £1,245.69 |
| 2017/18 | £1,779.94 | +3.6% | £1,186.63 |
| 2016/17 | £1,717.58 | – | £1,145.05 |
Homes by council tax band in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough has 66,860 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 67% 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 £1,699.44 a year (£169.94 a month over 10 instalments).
Middlesbrough compared with North East
Middlesbrough is the 7th cheapest of 12 councils in North East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,525.66 (£23.50 less than here). Cheapest: Sunderland (£2,197.14); most expensive: Gateshead (£2,715.81).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Darlington | £2,493.83 | +5.2% |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £2,542.19 | +5.3% |
| Redcar and Cleveland | £2,544.48 | +4.9% |
| Middlesbrough | £2,549.16 | +2.5% |
| Hartlepool | £2,560.20 | +2.5% |
| Stockton-on-Tees | £2,589.83 | +4.9% |
| Northumberland | £2,596.94 | +5.4% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Middlesbrough drops from £1,699.44 to £1,274.58.
- Council Tax Reduction: Middlesbrough 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).
Middlesbrough's 2.5% 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.
Middlesbrough's banded Council Tax Reduction: at least 10% to pay
Middlesbrough Council's 2026/27 working-age Council Tax Reduction scheme places you in a band based on your household and net weekly income. The household types are single, single with one child, single with two or more children, couple, couple with one child, and couple with two or more children. The top band gives 90% off, so working-age residents always pay at least 10%. Anyone on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related ESA goes straight into the 90% band.
50% of Middlesbrough's homes are in Band A, where the 2026/27 bill is £1,699.44. On maximum support that leaves £169.94 a year to pay. In Band B the minimum is £198.27.
The bands below are 90%, 72%, 36% and 23%. Worked example: a single person with £250 a week of counted income falls in the 36% band, so on a Band A home they get £611.80 off and pay £1,087.64 in 2026/27. A couple with two children on the same income is in the 90% band.
- The savings limit is £10,000. With £10,000 or more you get nothing, whatever your income.
- No deductions are made for non-dependants, such as adult children living with you.
- DLA and PIP are not counted as income. People with disabilities also have the first £40 a week of income ignored, so someone with £130 a week is assessed on £90.
- The first £25 a week of net earnings is ignored. Child Benefit, maintenance, war pensions, Carer's Allowance and several Universal Credit elements, such as the housing, carer, disabled child and childcare elements, are also not counted.
- Reductions normally start from the date you claim. If you want an earlier start date you must ask, and say which date.
| Discount | Single | Single, 1 child | Couple | Couple, 2+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90% | £0–£126.77 | £0–£200.80 | £0–£177.47 | £0–£326.00 |
| 72% | £126.78–£228.17 | £200.81–£301.20 | £177.48–£304.22 | £326.01–£426.30 |
| 36% | £228.18–£272.54 | £301.21–£320.03 | £304.23–£367.60 | £426.31–£501.54 |
| 23% | £272.55–£323.24 | £320.04–£351.40 | £367.61–£430.99 | £501.55–£601.85 |
| 0% | Over £323.24 | Over £351.40 | Over £430.99 | Over £601.85 |
Empty homes and second homes in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough's website describes a long-term empty premium that starts after two years. A home empty and unfurnished for two years or more pays 200%, and one empty five years or more pays 300%. On a Band A home that is £3,398.88 and £5,098.32 a year in 2026/27. The council also says second homes pay the full rate of council tax with no discount, and it does not list a second-homes premium.
Exceptions to the premium last a limited time: 12 months for a home advertised for sale or let at a fair market price, 12 months after probate is granted, and for major repairs 12 months or six months from completion of the works if that is sooner. You still pay the normal charge during an exception.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Middlesbrough?
£2,549.16 a year in 2026/27, or £254.92 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Middlesbrough?
Band A: 33,110 of 66,860 homes (50%). A Band A bill is £1,699.44 in 2026/27.
How much has Middlesbrough council tax gone up?
2.5% this year, from £2,487.65 to £2,549.16 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 48%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Middlesbrough?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,074.34; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £41.52; Police and crime commissioner £332.73; Fire and rescue authority £99.46; Parish/town council (average) £1.11 (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 Middlesbrough?
90% for working-age claimants, so you always pay at least 10%. On a Band A home that is £169.94 in 2026/27.
Does Middlesbrough charge extra council tax on second homes?
According to the council's website, second homes pay the full rate of council tax with no discount. It does not describe a second-homes premium.
What is the savings limit for Council Tax Reduction in Middlesbrough?
£10,000. If you and your partner have £10,000 or more in savings or capital, you cannot get working-age Council Tax Reduction.
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)
- Middlesbrough Council – Our Council Tax Reduction scheme (2026/27)
- Middlesbrough Council – What is a Council Tax premium?