Stratford-on-Avon Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Stratford-on-Avon is £2,484.17 for 2026/27, up 4.4% (£104.26) on last year. That is £92.65 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 187th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (28%), so the average bill per home is about £2,673.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, West Midlands · Official England government statistics
Stratford-on-Avon council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,656.11 | £165.61 | £138.01 | £1,242.09 | 3,890 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,932.13 | £193.21 | £161.01 | £1,449.10 | 8,700 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,208.15 | £220.82 | £184.01 | £1,656.11 | 19,190 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,484.17 | £248.42 | £207.01 | £1,863.13 | 11,510 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,036.21 | £303.62 | £253.02 | £2,277.16 | 10,910 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,588.25 | £358.82 | £299.02 | £2,691.18 | 6,980 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,140.28 | £414.03 | £345.02 | £3,105.21 | 6,030 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,968.34 | £496.83 | £414.03 | £3,726.26 | 1,010 |
- Stratford-on-Avon
- England average
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Where your Stratford-on-Avon council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Stratford-on-Avon but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,484.17 Band D charge, £174.18 (7%) 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 | £174.18 | 7.0% | £154.83 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,903.86 | 76.6% | £1,692.32 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £318.71 | 12.8% | £283.30 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £87.42 | 3.5% | £77.71 |
- District council £174 7.0%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,904 76.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £319 12.8%
- Parish/town council (average) £87 3.5%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Stratford-on-Avon; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Stratford-on-Avon council tax history
Band D in Stratford-on-Avon has risen from £1,630.18 in 2016/17 to £2,484.17 in 2026/27 — 52% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.2%, the 192nd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Stratford-on-Avon Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,484.17 | +4.4% | £2,208.15 |
| 2025/26 | £2,379.91 | +5.1% | £2,115.48 |
| 2024/25 | £2,263.85 | +4.9% | £2,012.31 |
| 2023/24 | £2,158.66 | +4.1% | £1,918.81 |
| 2022/23 | £2,073.84 | +3.7% | £1,843.41 |
| 2021/22 | £2,000.76 | +3.5% | £1,778.45 |
| 2020/21 | £1,933.40 | +4.0% | £1,718.58 |
| 2019/20 | £1,859.93 | +5.4% | £1,653.27 |
| 2018/19 | £1,763.96 | +4.7% | £1,567.96 |
| 2017/18 | £1,684.92 | +3.4% | £1,497.71 |
| 2016/17 | £1,630.18 | – | £1,449.05 |
Homes by council tax band in Stratford-on-Avon
Stratford-on-Avon has 68,220 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 18% 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 £2,208.15 a year (£220.82 a month over 10 instalments).
Stratford-on-Avon compared with West Midlands
Stratford-on-Avon is the 22nd cheapest of 30 councils in West Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,399.67 (£84.50 less than here). Cheapest: Dudley (£2,144.84); most expensive: Walsall (£2,627.48).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Redditch | £2,462.95 | +7.6% |
| Bromsgrove | £2,478.65 | +7.6% |
| Rugby | £2,483.05 | +4.4% |
| Stratford-on-Avon | £2,484.17 | +4.4% |
| Nuneaton and Bedworth | £2,502.16 | +4.3% |
| Wyre Forest | £2,512.47 | +7.9% |
| Coventry | £2,516.72 | +4.3% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Stratford-on-Avon drops from £2,208.15 to £1,656.11.
- Council Tax Reduction: Stratford-on-Avon 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).
Stratford-on-Avon's 4.4% 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.
Second homes premium in Stratford-on-Avon from April 2027
Stratford-on-Avon District Council will charge a 100% premium on second homes from 1 April 2027, two years after councils were first allowed to. Cabinet and full council agreed it on 23 February 2026, after a six-week consultation from 15 December 2025 to 2 February 2026. That drew 589 online responses, 8 paper questionnaires and 14 emails or letters. The law requires the decision to be made at least a year before the premium starts. All 859 affected owners were written to during the consultation, and the council said it would write to them again before 31 March 2026.
Second homes here have paid full council tax, with no discount, since 1 April 2013. From April 2027 a Band D second home will pay double, or £4,968.34 at 2026/27 rates. A Band G second home will pay £8,280.57.
The council's reasons
The council’s report gave these reasons:
- There are 859 second homes, over 1% of all homes in the district.
- House prices are high. The average in the district was £382,000 in September 2024, against £257,000 across the West Midlands (ONS figures quoted by the council).
- The government assumes councils will charge the premium and has reduced funding to match. If Stratford did not charge it, the council says it would have less money for services, including rural housing and buying homes to cut the use of bed and breakfast for temporary housing.
- The council expects some second homes to come back into the wider housing stock, in line with its Council Plan aim of affordable, well-built homes.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Stratford-on-Avon?
£2,484.17 a year in 2026/27, or £248.42 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Stratford-on-Avon?
Band C: 19,190 of 68,220 homes (28%). A Band C bill is £2,208.15 in 2026/27.
How much has Stratford-on-Avon council tax gone up?
4.4% this year, from £2,379.91 to £2,484.17 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 52%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Stratford-on-Avon?
District council £174.18; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,903.86; Police and crime commissioner £318.71; Parish/town council (average) £87.42 (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.
When will Stratford-on-Avon charge double council tax on second homes?
From 1 April 2027. Cabinet and full council agreed the 100% premium on 23 February 2026.
How many second homes are there in Stratford-on-Avon district?
859, according to the council. That is over 1% of all homes in the district.
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)
- Stratford-on-Avon District Council – Council Tax premiums on second homes consultation