Southwark Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Southwark is £1,967.26 for 2026/27, up 4.8% (£89.36) on last year. That is £424.26 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 9th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (25%), so the average bill per home is about £1,909.
Updated 2026-10-03 · London borough, London · Official England government statistics
Southwark council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,311.51 | £131.15 | £109.29 | £983.63 | 13,230 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,530.09 | £153.01 | £127.51 | £1,147.57 | 38,050 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £1,748.68 | £174.87 | £145.72 | £1,311.51 | 35,970 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £1,967.26 | £196.73 | £163.94 | £1,475.45 | 29,020 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,404.43 | £240.44 | £200.37 | £1,803.32 | 21,980 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £2,841.60 | £284.16 | £236.80 | £2,131.20 | 8,010 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,278.77 | £327.88 | £273.23 | £2,459.08 | 4,620 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £3,934.52 | £393.45 | £327.88 | £2,950.89 | 830 |
- Southwark
- England average
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Where your Southwark council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Southwark but shared between 3 bodies. Of the £1,967.26 Band D charge, £1,456.75 (74%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for greater london authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,429.00 | 72.6% | £1,111.44 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £27.75 | 1.4% | £21.58 |
| Greater London Authority | £510.51 | 26.0% | £397.06 |
- Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,429 72.6%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £28 1.4%
- Greater London Authority £511 26.0%
Southwark council tax history
Band D in Southwark has risen from £1,206.38 in 2016/17 to £1,967.26 in 2026/27 — 63% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 28.8%, the 14th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Southwark Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £1,967.26 | +4.8% | £1,530.09 |
| 2025/26 | £1,877.90 | +4.7% | £1,460.59 |
| 2024/25 | £1,792.98 | +5.9% | £1,394.54 |
| 2023/24 | £1,692.92 | +6.2% | £1,316.72 |
| 2022/23 | £1,594.54 | +4.4% | £1,240.20 |
| 2021/22 | £1,527.80 | +6.0% | £1,188.29 |
| 2020/21 | £1,440.88 | +3.9% | £1,120.68 |
| 2019/20 | £1,386.78 | +4.3% | £1,078.61 |
| 2018/19 | £1,329.54 | +5.8% | £1,034.09 |
| 2017/18 | £1,256.82 | +4.2% | £977.53 |
| 2016/17 | £1,206.38 | – | £938.30 |
Homes by council tax band in Southwark
Southwark has 151,710 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 34% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,530.09 a year (£153.01 a month over 10 instalments).
Southwark compared with London
Southwark is the 8th cheapest of 33 councils in London, where the average Band D across councils is £2,090.08 (£122.82 more than here). Cheapest: Wandsworth (£1,028.21); most expensive: Kingston upon Thames (£2,609.20).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Kensington and Chelsea | £1,666.65 | +4.7% |
| Tower Hamlets | £1,837.78 | +4.7% |
| Newham | £1,944.23 | +4.8% |
| Southwark | £1,967.26 | +4.8% |
| Hillingdon | £2,045.46 | +4.8% |
| Lambeth | £2,047.11 | +4.8% |
| Hackney | £2,060.30 | +4.8% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Southwark drops from £1,530.09 to £1,147.57.
- Council Tax Reduction: Southwark 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).
Southwark's 4.8% 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.
Southwark discounts most London boroughs do not offer
Southwark Council has two local schemes for people connected with its children’s services. Care leavers aged 18 to 24 who live in Southwark pay no council tax. The 100% discount is added automatically every 1 April until your 25th birthday, or until you are no longer named on the bill. A care leaver living alone in a Band C home saves £1,748.68 a year in 2026/27. Foster carers registered with Southwark can apply for foster carer relief. You re-apply every year with a letter from Southwark Fostering Service confirming you are registered, and keep paying while the claim is processed.
Southwark keeps £1,456.75 of the £1,967.26 Band D bill. The other £510.51 goes to the Greater London Authority, which pays for the Mayor’s police, fire and transport services.
Empty homes, second homes and the Direct Debit prize draw
Southwark’s rules on empty homes and payment include:
- Since 1 April 2025 a home empty and unfurnished for a year has paid double (£3,497.35 for Band C in 2026/27). Before that the wait was two years. After 5 years it pays three times and after 10 years four times the normal charge. Furnished homes that are nobody’s main home are treated as second homes and may pay a second homes premium.
- The marketing exception lasts up to 12 months from when a home is first advertised for sale or let, and covers leases of 7 years or more. Southwark will not grant it again unless the home has since been sold or let on a tenancy of 6 months or more.
- Southwark asks for evidence with each exception claim: a copy of the planning condition for seasonal homes, photos and a schedule of works for uninhabitable homes, or proof of probate.
- In 2026 Southwark ran a council tax prize draw. Residents paying by Direct Debit with a MySouthwark account linked to their council tax account by 6pm on 29 May 2026 were entered automatically. The prize was the winner’s 2026/27 council tax, up to the average Band D charge. Councillors, council staff and their spouses could not enter.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Southwark?
£1,967.26 a year in 2026/27, or £196.73 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Southwark?
Band B: 38,050 of 151,710 homes (25%). A Band B bill is £1,530.09 in 2026/27.
How much has Southwark council tax gone up?
4.8% this year, from £1,877.90 to £1,967.26 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 63%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Southwark?
Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,429.00; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £27.75; Greater London Authority £510.51 (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.
Do care leavers pay council tax in Southwark?
No. Care leavers aged 18 to 24 living in Southwark are exempt until their 25th birthday. The discount is added automatically each April.
Can foster carers get a council tax discount in Southwark?
Foster carers registered with Southwark can apply for foster carer relief. You re-apply every year with a letter from Southwark Fostering Service, and keep paying your bill until the claim is decided.
When does the empty homes premium start in Southwark?
After a home has been empty and substantially unfurnished for 1 year, since 1 April 2025. Before that it started after 2 years.
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)
- Southwark Council – Care leaver exemption
- Southwark Council – Foster carer relief
- Southwark Council – Long-term empty property Council Tax premium
- Southwark Council – Council Tax prize draw