Southend-on-Sea Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Southend-on-Sea is £2,265.17 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£110.52) on last year. That is £126.35 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 38th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (30%), so the average bill per home is about £2,056.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, East of England · Official England government statistics
Southend-on-Sea council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,510.11 | £151.01 | £125.84 | £1,132.59 | 17,190 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,761.80 | £176.18 | £146.82 | £1,321.35 | 16,200 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,013.48 | £201.35 | £167.79 | £1,510.11 | 24,780 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,265.17 | £226.52 | £188.76 | £1,698.88 | 12,920 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,768.54 | £276.85 | £230.71 | £2,076.41 | 6,810 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,271.91 | £327.19 | £272.66 | £2,453.93 | 3,710 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,775.28 | £377.53 | £314.61 | £2,831.46 | 1,650 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,530.34 | £453.03 | £377.53 | £3,397.76 | 130 |
- Southend-on-Sea
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Southend-on-Sea council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Southend-on-Sea but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,265.17 Band D charge, £1,888.47 (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 C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,852.50 | 81.8% | £1,646.67 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £35.97 | 1.6% | £31.97 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £275.31 | 12.2% | £244.72 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £92.52 | 4.1% | £82.24 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £8.87 | 0.4% | £7.88 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,853 81.8%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £275 12.2%
- Fire and rescue authority £93 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £9 0.4%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Southend-on-Sea; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Southend-on-Sea council tax history
Band D in Southend-on-Sea has risen from £1,432.63 in 2016/17 to £2,265.17 in 2026/27 — 58% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.9%, the 64th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Southend-on-Sea Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,265.17 | +5.1% | £2,013.48 |
| 2025/26 | £2,154.65 | +5.1% | £1,915.24 |
| 2024/25 | £2,050.00 | +4.9% | £1,822.22 |
| 2023/24 | £1,953.35 | +5.3% | £1,736.31 |
| 2022/23 | £1,855.91 | +4.0% | £1,649.70 |
| 2021/22 | £1,784.70 | +3.9% | £1,586.40 |
| 2020/21 | £1,717.54 | +3.8% | £1,526.70 |
| 2019/20 | £1,654.85 | +5.4% | £1,470.98 |
| 2018/19 | £1,569.37 | +4.7% | £1,395.00 |
| 2017/18 | £1,499.06 | +4.6% | £1,332.50 |
| 2016/17 | £1,432.63 | – | £1,273.45 |
Homes by council tax band in Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea has 83,390 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 40% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,013.48 a year (£201.35 a month over 10 instalments).
Southend-on-Sea compared with East of England
Southend-on-Sea is the 3rd cheapest of 45 councils in East of England, where the average Band D across councils is £2,391.20 (£126.03 more than here). Cheapest: Thurrock (£2,254.68); most expensive: Huntingdonshire (£2,556.40).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Thurrock | £2,254.68 | +5.1% |
| Brentwood | £2,258.14 | +4.2% |
| Southend-on-Sea | £2,265.17 | +5.1% |
| Tendring | £2,269.63 | +4.2% |
| Epping Forest | £2,277.21 | +4.1% |
| Braintree | £2,280.34 | +3.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Southend-on-Sea drops from £2,013.48 to £1,510.11.
- Council Tax Reduction: Southend-on-Sea 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).
Southend-on-Sea'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.
How Southend's 4.99% rise was worked out
Southend-on-Sea City Council raised its own charge by 4.99% for 2026/27. That is 2.99% on the core council charge and 2.0% on the adult social care precept, both worked out on the 2025/26 total council charge of £1,798.74 at Band D. The core charge went from £1,516.35 to £1,570.13 and the social care precept from £282.39 to £318.34. Together they make £1,888.47. Essex police and fire precepts bring the total to £2,256.30 before any parish charge.
Leigh-on-Sea is the only part of the city with a town council. Its 2026/27 precept is £543,431.22, which is £59.39 at Band D, up £6.14. The town council says much of the rise is to repair its Community Centre, including a new boiler. Spread across the whole city, that is the £8.87 average parish figure shown above. Leigh residents pay the full £59.39 and everyone else pays nothing.
Empty homes, second homes and care leavers
Southend has cut most of its empty-home discounts but kept a local discount for care leavers:
- Empty and unfurnished homes have had no discount since April 2024. Before that, Southend gave 100% off for just 14 days. Homes under major repair also get no discount.
- The long-term empty premium has started after one year, rather than two, since April 2024. A Band C home empty for 18 months pays £4,026.97 in 2026/27.
- Since 1 April 2025 every furnished home that is nobody’s main home pays a 100% second homes premium. National exceptions apply, such as annexes, job-related homes, homes for sale or let, and homes after probate.
- Under a local policy from April 2020, a home lived in only by qualifying young care leavers can get 100% off until the age of 21, or 25 in exceptional cases.
- Instalments normally run from 1 April to 1 January, or to 1 March if you ask for 12. Claiming a discount you are not entitled to, or not reporting a change within 21 days, can lead to a £280 penalty.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Southend-on-Sea?
£2,265.17 a year in 2026/27, or £226.52 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Southend-on-Sea?
Band C: 24,780 of 83,390 homes (30%). A Band C bill is £2,013.48 in 2026/27.
How much has Southend-on-Sea council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,154.65 to £2,265.17 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 58%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Southend-on-Sea?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,852.50; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £35.97; Police and crime commissioner £275.31; Fire and rescue authority £92.52; Parish/town council (average) £8.87 (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.
How much did Southend council tax go up in 2026/27?
The council’s own charge rose 4.99%: 2.99% general and 2.0% adult social care precept.
How much is the Leigh-on-Sea Town Council precept?
£59.39 a year at Band D for 2026/27, an increase of £6.14. Only Leigh-on-Sea residents pay it.
Do care leavers pay council tax in Southend?
A home lived in only by qualifying young care leavers can get 100% off until age 21, or 25 in exceptional cases.
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)
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Calculation for the percentage increase for the 2026/27 Council Tax
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Leigh-on-Sea Town Council Council Tax 2026-27
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Empty and unfurnished property
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Long term empty properties
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Property occupied by young care leavers
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Second homes
- Southend-on-Sea City Council – Pay your Council Tax