Sandwell Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Sandwell is £2,244.46 for 2026/27, up 5.2% (£111.01) on last year. That is £147.06 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 31st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (43%), so the average bill per home is about £1,735.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, West Midlands · Official England government statistics
Sandwell council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,496.31 | £149.63 | £124.69 | £1,122.23 | 59,380 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,745.69 | £174.57 | £145.47 | £1,309.27 | 44,730 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £1,995.08 | £199.51 | £166.26 | £1,496.31 | 21,720 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,244.46 | £224.45 | £187.04 | £1,683.35 | 7,700 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,743.23 | £274.32 | £228.60 | £2,057.42 | 3,000 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,242.00 | £324.20 | £270.17 | £2,431.50 | 550 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,740.77 | £374.08 | £311.73 | £2,805.58 | 70 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,488.92 | £448.89 | £374.08 | £3,366.69 | 40 |
- Sandwell
- England average
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Where your Sandwell council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Sandwell but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,244.46 Band D charge, £1,914.77 (85%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,878.29 | 83.7% | £1,252.19 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £36.48 | 1.6% | £24.32 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £244.50 | 10.9% | £163.00 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £85.19 | 3.8% | £56.79 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,878 83.7%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £245 10.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £85 3.8%
Sandwell council tax history
Band D in Sandwell has risen from £1,390.22 in 2016/17 to £2,244.46 in 2026/27 — 61% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 28.9%, the 13th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Sandwell Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,244.46 | +5.2% | £1,496.31 |
| 2025/26 | £2,133.45 | +5.2% | £1,422.30 |
| 2024/25 | £2,027.83 | +5.1% | £1,351.89 |
| 2023/24 | £1,930.09 | +5.4% | £1,286.73 |
| 2022/23 | £1,831.46 | +5.2% | £1,220.97 |
| 2021/22 | £1,741.57 | +3.6% | £1,161.05 |
| 2020/21 | £1,681.77 | +4.2% | £1,121.18 |
| 2019/20 | £1,614.63 | +5.2% | £1,076.42 |
| 2018/19 | £1,535.10 | +5.3% | £1,023.40 |
| 2017/18 | £1,457.33 | +4.8% | £971.55 |
| 2016/17 | £1,390.22 | – | £926.81 |
Homes by council tax band in Sandwell
Sandwell has 137,190 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 76% 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 £1,496.31 a year (£149.63 a month over 10 instalments).
Sandwell compared with West Midlands
Sandwell is the 4th cheapest of 30 councils in West Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,399.67 (£155.21 more than here). Cheapest: Dudley (£2,144.84); most expensive: Walsall (£2,627.48).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Dudley | £2,144.84 | +5.2% |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £2,183.12 | +5% |
| Solihull | £2,197.26 | +5.2% |
| Sandwell | £2,244.46 | +5.2% |
| Telford and Wrekin | £2,256.26 | +5.1% |
| Tamworth | £2,300.76 | +4.1% |
| Stafford | £2,302.68 | +4.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Sandwell drops from £1,496.31 to £1,122.23.
- Council Tax Reduction: Sandwell 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).
Sandwell's 5.2% 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 Reduction: 85% cap and Band B limit, with protection for young children
Since April 2025, Sandwell has limited working-age Council Tax Reduction in two ways, and both continue for 2026/27. Support is worked out on no more than a Band B bill, and it is capped at 85% of that bill. So most working-age claimants pay at least 15%. The council says it made the changes to meet its legal duty to balance its budget as demand for services and their cost rise. It adds that its scheme is still generous compared with most other councils.
Families with a child under six are protected. If they live in a Band A or B home, they can still get up to 100% off. That protection lasts until the child turns six. Families with a young child in Band C or above still pay something, because support is limited to the Band B amount. Pensioners keep up to 100%. Sandwell treats “working age” as 18 to 65.
- Within those limits, your weekly income sets your discount at 100%, 90%, 75%, 50% or 25%. For a single person, the 100% band ends at £98.05 a week, and support stops at £218.06. A single parent with one child keeps 100% up to £206.15, and a couple up to £153.92.
- The council’s own worked example: a single person of working age living alone in Band A, with income below £98.06 a week, has an eligible liability of 85% of the bill after the single person discount and pays a minimum of £168.32 a year.
| Your band | Full bill 2026/27 | Least a working-age claimant pays | With a child under 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | £1,496.31 | £224.45 | £0.00 |
| B | £1,745.69 | £261.85 | £0.00 |
| C | £1,995.08 | £511.24 | £249.38 |
| D | £2,244.46 | £760.62 | £498.77 |
Ten years of the adult social care precept
Sandwell publishes how much of its Band D charge has built up as adult social care precept since the precept began in 2016/17. That year it was £23.51. By 2024/25 it had reached £251.58 of a £1,737.08 council charge. The council no longer has to show it as a separate line on bills, but this history shows how much of recent rises has gone to adult social care.
Empty and second homes
Sandwell charges full council tax on homes that are empty and unfurnished, empty and furnished, undergoing major works, or used as second homes that are not job-related. A 100% premium is added after one year empty, rising to 200% after five years and 300% after ten. A Band A terrace empty for more than a year costs £2,992.61 in 2026/27. Since 1 April 2025, homes that are empty but furnished have paid a 100% second homes premium, so 200% council tax, from the start and regardless of any change of owner; job-related second homes are not charged it. From the same date the national exceptions apply, most for up to 12 months, but the standard 100% charge stays payable while an exception runs.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Sandwell?
£2,244.46 a year in 2026/27, or £224.45 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Sandwell?
Band A: 59,380 of 137,190 homes (43%). A Band A bill is £1,496.31 in 2026/27.
How much has Sandwell council tax gone up?
5.2% this year, from £2,133.45 to £2,244.46 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 61%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Sandwell?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,878.29; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36.48; Police and crime commissioner £244.50; Fire and rescue authority £85.19 (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 reduction in Sandwell?
Only if you are a pensioner, or a working-age household with a child under six living in a Band A or B home. Other working-age claimants can get at most 85% of a Band B bill.
What happens to my Sandwell council tax reduction when my child turns six?
Households with a child under six in a Band A or B home can get up to 100% off until the child turns six. After that the 85% cap applies, so you pay at least 15% of the bill.
Does Sandwell charge a second homes premium?
Yes. Since 1 April 2025, empty but furnished homes pay a 100% premium, so 200% council tax, unless they are job-related or an exception applies.
Does Sandwell charge extra on empty homes?
Yes. Homes empty and unfurnished for a year or more pay double, rising to triple after five years and four times after ten.
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)
- Sandwell Council – Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme
- Sandwell Council – What’s changing with Council Tax Reduction
- Sandwell Council – How much Council Tax you will pay
- Sandwell Council – Adult Social Care precept
- Sandwell Council – Paying Council Tax on empty properties