Portsmouth Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Portsmouth is £2,291.71 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£110.79) on last year. That is £99.81 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 50th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (34%), so the average bill per home is about £1,888.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South East · Official England government statistics
Portsmouth council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,527.81 | £152.78 | £127.32 | £1,145.86 | 27,350 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,782.44 | £178.24 | £148.54 | £1,336.83 | 31,820 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,037.08 | £203.71 | £169.76 | £1,527.81 | 22,550 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,291.71 | £229.17 | £190.98 | £1,718.78 | 6,330 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,800.98 | £280.10 | £233.41 | £2,100.73 | 3,810 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,310.25 | £331.02 | £275.85 | £2,482.69 | 1,660 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,819.52 | £381.95 | £318.29 | £2,864.64 | 660 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,583.42 | £458.34 | £381.95 | £3,437.57 | 60 |
- Portsmouth
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Portsmouth council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Portsmouth but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,291.71 Band D charge, £1,908.41 (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) | £1,872.06 | 81.7% | £1,456.05 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £36.35 | 1.6% | £28.27 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £290.46 | 12.7% | £225.91 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £92.84 | 4.1% | £72.21 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,872 81.7%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £290 12.7%
- Fire and rescue authority £93 4.1%
Portsmouth council tax history
Band D in Portsmouth has risen from £1,441.39 in 2016/17 to £2,291.71 in 2026/27 — 59% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.8%, the 109th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Portsmouth Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,291.71 | +5.1% | £1,782.44 |
| 2025/26 | £2,180.92 | +5.1% | £1,696.27 |
| 2024/25 | £2,075.45 | +4.8% | £1,614.24 |
| 2023/24 | £1,980.76 | +5.2% | £1,540.59 |
| 2022/23 | £1,882.35 | +3.3% | £1,464.05 |
| 2021/22 | £1,821.76 | +5.1% | £1,416.92 |
| 2020/21 | £1,732.92 | +4.0% | £1,347.83 |
| 2019/20 | £1,665.85 | +5.4% | £1,295.66 |
| 2018/19 | £1,579.81 | +4.7% | £1,228.74 |
| 2017/18 | £1,508.42 | +4.7% | £1,173.22 |
| 2016/17 | £1,441.39 | – | £1,121.08 |
Homes by council tax band in Portsmouth
Portsmouth has 94,240 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 63% 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 £1,782.44 a year (£178.24 a month over 10 instalments).
Portsmouth compared with South East
Portsmouth is the 5th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£183.74 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Basingstoke and Deane | £2,255.21 | +5% |
| Bracknell Forest | £2,264.80 | +5.1% |
| Fareham | £2,270.55 | +4.9% |
| Portsmouth | £2,291.71 | +5.1% |
| Test Valley | £2,305.52 | +5% |
| Havant | £2,320.28 | +4.9% |
| Rushmoor | £2,320.28 | +4.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Portsmouth drops from £1,782.44 to £1,336.83.
- Council Tax Reduction: Portsmouth 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).
Portsmouth'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.
Council Tax Support: four discount levels, capped at 90%
Portsmouth City Council compares your household’s weekly income with a set of bands. Depending on the band, you get 90%, 65%, 40% or 15% off your bill. Nobody of working age gets 100% off. Even people on income-based JSA, income-related ESA or Income Support get the top rate of 90%, so they still pay a tenth of their bill. In a Band B home that is £178.24 for 2026/27.
- You cannot get support if you have savings over £6,000, but savings below that do not reduce what you get.
- Only £25 a week of earnings is ignored for each claim. Childcare costs of up to £175 a week for one child, or £300 for two or more, are also ignored, as are disability benefits, Carer’s Allowance and Child Benefit. If anyone in the household gets a disability benefit, £115 a week is taken off your income before your band is worked out.
- Example: a single parent with one child and income of £270 a week falls in the 40% band. Their Band C bill of £2,037.08 would fall to £1,222.25.
- If your Universal Credit includes housing costs, that element is not counted as income when your band is worked out.
| Discount | Single | Single, 1 child | Couple | Couple, 1 child | Couple, 2+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90% | £0–£100 | £0–£180 | £0–£160 | £0–£240 | £0–£310 |
| 65% | £100.01–£180 | £180.01–£260 | £160.01–£240 | £240.01–£320 | £310.01–£390 |
| 40% | £180.01–£220 | £260.01–£300 | £240.01–£280 | £320.01–£360 | £390.01–£430 |
| 15% | £220.01–£260 | £300.01–£340 | £280.01–£320 | £360.01–£400 | £430.01–£470 |
No discounts for empty homes since 2016
Portsmouth stopped giving discounts on empty, unfurnished homes in April 2016. It ended the discount for homes needing major repairs in April 2020. The charge goes with the property, so if you buy or rent a home that is still empty, you pay the full charge from the first day. After a year the council adds the highest premiums the law allows: 100% after one year, 200% after five years and 300% after ten. Second homes have paid a 100% premium since 1 April 2025, so a furnished Band C flat that is nobody’s main home costs £4,074.15. The council says a home only counts as unfurnished if enough furniture has been removed to make it impossible to live in. Carpets and curtains can stay.
Shared houses in Portsmouth
Portsmouth publishes its own guidance on who pays in houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). If rooms are let separately, or tenants have their own agreements, the landlord usually pays the council tax. If the whole house is let on one joint tenancy, the tenants usually pay. The council points out that the council tax definition of an HMO is different from the one used for HMO licensing, so a property can be a council tax HMO even if it does not need an HMO licence. Each case is decided on its own facts, and the council may ask to see tenancy agreements before it decides who is liable.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Portsmouth?
£2,291.71 a year in 2026/27, or £229.17 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Portsmouth?
Band B: 31,820 of 94,240 homes (34%). A Band B bill is £1,782.44 in 2026/27.
How much has Portsmouth council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,180.92 to £2,291.71 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 59%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Portsmouth?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,872.06; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36.35; Police and crime commissioner £290.46; Fire and rescue authority £92.84 (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.
Can I get 100% council tax support in Portsmouth?
No, not if you are of working age. The highest discount is 90%, even for people on income-based benefits. Pension-age claimants can still get up to 100%.
Who pays council tax in a shared house in Portsmouth?
Usually the landlord, if rooms are let separately or tenants have their own agreements. Usually the tenants, if the whole property is let on one joint tenancy.
Is there a discount on empty properties in Portsmouth?
No. Empty-property discounts ended in 2016, and the discount for homes needing major repairs ended in 2020. Homes empty for more than a year also pay a premium.
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)
- Portsmouth City Council – Council Tax Support for working-age residents
- Portsmouth City Council – Discounts on empty properties
- Portsmouth City Council – Premiums for long-term empty properties
- Portsmouth City Council – Premiums for second homes
- Portsmouth City Council – Council Tax and HMOs