Swale Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Swale is £2,405.65 for 2026/27, up 4.3% (£99.93) on last year. That is £14.13 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 120th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (27%), so the average bill per home is about £2,211.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Swale council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,603.77 | £160.38 | £133.65 | £1,202.83 | 10,410 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,871.06 | £187.11 | £155.92 | £1,403.30 | 16,620 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,138.36 | £213.84 | £178.20 | £1,603.77 | 18,040 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,405.65 | £240.57 | £200.47 | £1,804.24 | 12,330 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,940.24 | £294.02 | £245.02 | £2,205.18 | 6,220 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,474.83 | £347.48 | £289.57 | £2,606.12 | 2,870 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,009.42 | £400.94 | £334.12 | £3,007.06 | 1,320 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,811.30 | £481.13 | £400.94 | £3,608.48 | 120 |
- Swale
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Swale council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Swale but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,405.65 Band D charge, £212.76 (9%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £212.76 | 8.8% | £189.12 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,758.60 | 73.1% | £1,563.20 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.15 | 11.9% | £253.47 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.81 | 4.1% | £88.72 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £49.33 | 2.1% | £43.85 |
- District council £213 8.8%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,759 73.1%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 11.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £49 2.1%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Swale; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Swale council tax history
Band D in Swale has risen from £1,541.26 in 2016/17 to £2,405.65 in 2026/27 — 56% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.3%, the 182nd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Swale Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,405.65 | +4.3% | £2,138.36 |
| 2025/26 | £2,305.72 | +5.0% | £2,049.53 |
| 2024/25 | £2,196.40 | +4.9% | £1,952.36 |
| 2023/24 | £2,094.44 | +5.0% | £1,861.72 |
| 2022/23 | £1,994.95 | +3.1% | £1,773.29 |
| 2021/22 | £1,934.83 | +4.8% | £1,719.85 |
| 2020/21 | £1,845.80 | +4.1% | £1,640.71 |
| 2019/20 | £1,773.63 | +5.8% | £1,576.56 |
| 2018/19 | £1,677.13 | +4.9% | £1,490.78 |
| 2017/18 | £1,598.48 | +3.7% | £1,420.87 |
| 2016/17 | £1,541.26 | – | £1,370.01 |
Homes by council tax band in Swale
Swale has 67,930 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 40% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,138.36 a year (£213.84 a month over 10 instalments).
Swale compared with South East
Swale is the 18th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£69.80 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Dartford | £2,375.15 | +4.1% |
| Southampton | £2,381.48 | +5.1% |
| Hart | £2,400.02 | +5% |
| Swale | £2,405.65 | +4.3% |
| Gravesham | £2,408.24 | +4.1% |
| Ashford | £2,410.16 | +4.3% |
| Slough | £2,414.44 | +5% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Swale drops from £2,138.36 to £1,603.77.
- Council Tax Reduction: Swale 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).
Swale's 4.3% 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 and Airbnb lets in Swale
Swale Borough Council’s second homes premium applies to more than holiday cottages. Since 1 April 2025 a 100% premium has been charged on any furnished home that is nobody’s main residence. That includes homes left empty but furnished, and homes you use for work that do not count as job-related. It also includes homes you let on sites such as Airbnb and use yourself. A Band C second home in Swale pays £4,276.71 in 2026/27, not £2,138.36.
A self-catering let moves from council tax to business rates only if, over the last 12 months, it was available to let commercially for at least 140 nights and was actually let for at least 70. Seasonal homes that planning rules stop people living in all year are excepted from the premium.
- There is no discount for empty homes, whether furnished or unfurnished.
- Second homes kept because the owner lives in job-related accommodation, or which are themselves job-related, get 50% off.
- When someone who was liable dies, the empty home is exempt until probate and for up to 6 months after it.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Swale?
£2,405.65 a year in 2026/27, or £240.57 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Swale?
Band C: 18,040 of 67,930 homes (27%). A Band C bill is £2,138.36 in 2026/27.
How much has Swale council tax gone up?
4.3% this year, from £2,305.72 to £2,405.65 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 56%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Swale?
District council £212.76; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,758.60; Police and crime commissioner £285.15; Fire and rescue authority £99.81; Parish/town council (average) £49.33 (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 Airbnb properties pay the second homes premium in Swale?
Yes, if they are furnished, nobody lives there as their main home and they are not valued for business rates. Swale lists homes let on sites like Airbnb that the owner also uses.
Is there an empty home discount in Swale?
No. Empty homes pay the full charge, whether furnished or unfurnished, unless an exemption applies.
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)
- Swale Borough Council – Council Tax exemptions, discounts and disregards
- GOV.UK – Business rates on self-catering and holiday let accommodation