Oxford Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Oxford is £2,678.40 for 2026/27, up 4.7% (£121.27) on last year. That is £286.88 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 286th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (31%), so the average bill per home is about £2,703.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Oxford council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,785.60 | £178.56 | £148.80 | £1,339.20 | 2,970 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,083.20 | £208.32 | £173.60 | £1,562.40 | 9,950 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,380.80 | £238.08 | £198.40 | £1,785.60 | 19,850 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,678.40 | £267.84 | £223.20 | £2,008.80 | 16,350 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,273.60 | £327.36 | £272.80 | £2,455.20 | 7,750 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,868.80 | £386.88 | £322.40 | £2,901.60 | 3,180 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,464.00 | £446.40 | £372.00 | £3,348.00 | 3,380 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,356.80 | £535.68 | £446.40 | £4,017.60 | 610 |
- Oxford
- England average
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Where your Oxford council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Oxford but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,678.40 Band D charge, £367.38 (14%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £367.38 | 13.7% | £326.56 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £2,006.78 | 74.9% | £1,783.80 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £298.28 | 11.1% | £265.14 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £5.96 | 0.2% | £5.30 |
- District council £367 13.7%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £2,007 74.9%
- Police and crime commissioner £298 11.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £6 0.2%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Oxford; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Oxford council tax history
Band D in Oxford has risen from £1,737.64 in 2016/17 to £2,678.40 in 2026/27 — 54% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.7%, the 114th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Oxford Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,678.40 | +4.7% | £2,380.80 |
| 2025/26 | £2,557.13 | +4.7% | £2,273.00 |
| 2024/25 | £2,441.91 | +4.7% | £2,170.59 |
| 2023/24 | £2,332.44 | +4.8% | £2,073.28 |
| 2022/23 | £2,225.43 | +4.4% | £1,978.16 |
| 2021/22 | £2,130.64 | +3.3% | £1,893.90 |
| 2020/21 | £2,063.56 | +3.8% | £1,834.28 |
| 2019/20 | £1,988.65 | +4.0% | £1,767.69 |
| 2018/19 | £1,912.27 | +5.6% | £1,699.80 |
| 2017/18 | £1,810.87 | +4.2% | £1,609.66 |
| 2016/17 | £1,737.64 | – | £1,544.57 |
Homes by council tax band in Oxford
Oxford has 64,040 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 20% are in Bands A or B, fewer than in most areas — homes here are concentrated in the middle and upper bands. The most common band is C, which costs £2,380.80 a year (£238.08 a month over 10 instalments).
Oxford compared with South East
Oxford is the 61st cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£202.95 less than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight | £2,625.79 | +5.3% |
| Eastbourne | £2,654.28 | +4.8% |
| Hastings | £2,676.58 | +4.8% |
| Oxford | £2,678.40 | +4.7% |
| Rother | £2,700.95 | +5.5% |
| Wealden | £2,728.43 | +4.6% |
| Lewes | £2,756.17 | +4.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Oxford drops from £2,380.80 to £1,785.60.
- Council Tax Reduction: Oxford 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).
Oxford's 4.7% 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.
Who raised what in Oxford for 2026/27
The city council's share rose by 2.99%, from £356.72 to £367.38 at Band D, excluding parishes. That is £10.66 a year, or about 20p a week, and it is less than a sixth of the total bill. Oxfordshire County Council raised its share by the full 4.99%, made up of 2.99% general and 2% adult social care, to £2,006.78. The Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner added £15, taking the police share to £298.28. The county takes about 75% of every bill.
Most of the city has no parish council. In these unparished areas the city council carries out parish functions itself. Four parishes set their own precepts for 2026/27: Littlemore (£89,899), Old Marston (£67,619), Risinghurst and Sandhills (£76,000) and Blackbird Leys (£57,109). Only residents of those parishes pay them.
A new banded Council Tax Reduction scheme for 2026–27
For 2026–27, Oxford replaced its means-tested working-age scheme with a simpler percentage discount. Your weekly income is placed in one of five bands. The council says the change means fewer changes to bills during the year and fewer letters. Your award only changes if your income moves you into a different band.
- Example: a household with £500 a week of income that counts in a Band C home (£2,380.80) gets 75% off and pays £595.20 for the year.
- People getting income-based JSA, income-related ESA or Income Support get the full reduction, less any deductions for other adults living with them. Child Benefit is not counted as income.
- You cannot get support if you have savings over £16,000. Savings between £6,000 and £16,000 are counted as £1 a week of income for every £250.
- Deductions for other adults living with you in 2026 range from £5.20 a week, for those earning under £279 a week or not working, to £15.95 a week for those earning £605 or more.
| Weekly income 2026/27 | Discount on your bill |
|---|---|
| £0–£480 | 100% |
| £480.01–£530 | 75% |
| £530.01–£580 | 50% |
| £580.01–£660 | 25% |
| Over £660 | 0% |
Empty homes, second homes and paying
Unfurnished homes empty for a year or more pay a 100% premium, which rises to 200% after five years and 300% after ten. The clock does not restart when the home is sold. Most furnished second homes have paid a 100% premium since 1 April 2025, so a Band E second home in Oxford costs £6,547.20 this year. If you pay by Direct Debit you can choose the 1st, 5th, 15th or 25th of the month; date choice is only available to Direct Debit payers, and you get at least 14 days’ notice of any change to your instalments. Oxford council tax account numbers have nine digits and start with a 6.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Oxford?
£2,678.40 a year in 2026/27, or £267.84 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Oxford?
Band C: 19,850 of 64,040 homes (31%). A Band C bill is £2,380.80 in 2026/27.
How much has Oxford council tax gone up?
4.7% this year, from £2,557.13 to £2,678.40 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 54%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Oxford?
District council £367.38; County council (incl. adult social care) £2,006.78; Police and crime commissioner £298.28; Parish/town council (average) £5.96 (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 income qualifies for full council tax reduction in Oxford?
Under the 2026–27 working-age scheme, weekly income of up to £480 gets a 100% discount. The discount then falls to 75%, 50% and 25%, and stops when income goes over £660 a week. You must have savings of £16,000 or less.
How much did Oxford City Council raise council tax by?
Its own share rose 2.99% to £367.38 at Band D, excluding parishes. Most of the overall rise came from Oxfordshire County Council (4.99%) and the police (£15).
Which parts of Oxford pay a parish precept?
Littlemore, Old Marston, Risinghurst and Sandhills, and Blackbird Leys. The rest of the city has no parish 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
- 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)
- Oxford City Council – Council Tax income 2026 to 2027
- Oxford City Council – Council Tax Reduction working age scheme
- Oxford City Council – Empty property and second home premiums
- Oxford City Council – Pay by Direct Debit