Torbay Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Torbay is £2,470.25 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£119.61) on last year. That is £78.73 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 178th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (26%), so the average bill per home is about £2,213.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South West · Official England government statistics
Torbay council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,646.83 | £164.68 | £137.24 | £1,235.13 | 13,840 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,921.31 | £192.13 | £160.11 | £1,440.98 | 17,860 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,195.78 | £219.58 | £182.98 | £1,646.83 | 17,180 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,470.25 | £247.03 | £205.85 | £1,852.69 | 10,780 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,019.19 | £301.92 | £251.60 | £2,264.40 | 5,480 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,568.14 | £356.81 | £297.34 | £2,676.10 | 2,440 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,117.08 | £411.71 | £343.09 | £3,087.81 | 1,310 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,940.50 | £494.05 | £411.71 | £3,705.38 | 140 |
- Torbay
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Torbay council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Torbay but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,470.25 Band D charge, £2,044.11 (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 B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,005.17 | 81.2% | £1,559.58 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £38.94 | 1.6% | £30.29 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £303.20 | 12.3% | £235.82 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £109.68 | 4.4% | £85.31 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £13.26 | 0.5% | £10.31 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,005 81.2%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £39 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £303 12.3%
- Fire and rescue authority £110 4.4%
- Parish/town council (average) £13 0.5%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Torbay; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Torbay council tax history
Band D in Torbay has risen from £1,569.73 in 2016/17 to £2,470.25 in 2026/27 — 57% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.1%, the 153rd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Torbay Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,470.25 | +5.1% | £1,921.31 |
| 2025/26 | £2,350.64 | +4.8% | £1,828.28 |
| 2024/25 | £2,242.85 | +4.7% | £1,744.44 |
| 2023/24 | £2,141.20 | +5.1% | £1,665.38 |
| 2022/23 | £2,036.63 | +3.1% | £1,584.05 |
| 2021/22 | £1,975.37 | +5.0% | £1,536.40 |
| 2020/21 | £1,880.56 | +4.0% | £1,462.66 |
| 2019/20 | £1,808.78 | +4.1% | £1,406.83 |
| 2018/19 | £1,737.95 | +5.9% | £1,351.74 |
| 2017/18 | £1,640.54 | +4.5% | £1,275.98 |
| 2016/17 | £1,569.73 | – | £1,220.90 |
Homes by council tax band in Torbay
Torbay has 69,030 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 46% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is B, which costs £1,921.31 a year (£192.13 a month over 10 instalments).
Torbay compared with South West
Torbay is the 11th cheapest of 27 councils in South West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,511.40 (£41.15 more than here). Cheapest: Isles of Scilly (£2,047.96); most expensive: Dorset (£2,765.02).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Swindon | £2,438.10 | +5.2% |
| Plymouth | £2,441.85 | +5% |
| Forest of Dean | £2,443.42 | +5% |
| Torbay | £2,470.25 | +5.1% |
| North Somerset | £2,491.22 | +8.6% |
| Stroud | £2,491.36 | +5.1% |
| Exeter | £2,495.36 | +4.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Torbay drops from £1,921.31 to £1,440.98.
- Council Tax Reduction: Torbay 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).
Torbay'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.
Torbay's Working Age Council Tax Reduction: up to 75%
Torbay Council's Working Age Council Tax Reduction is income-banded, and the highest award is 75%. So even the lowest-income working-age household pays a quarter of its bill. In a Band B home, the most common band here (17,860 homes), that is at least £480.33 in 2026/27. Lower awards are 55%, 40% and 20%, and there is nothing once weekly income passes the top threshold.
- You must have less than £6,000 in savings and investments.
- Families with children have higher income limits. Part of your wages is ignored, the amount depending on your household.
- Self-employed claimants are assessed using a Minimum Income Floor.
- If your circumstances change, you must tell the council and then reapply.
| Award | Single person (weekly income) | Couple (weekly income) |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | £0 to £108 | £0 to £158 |
| 55% | £108.01 to £141 | £158.01 to £201 |
| 40% | £141.01 to £172 | £201.01 to £242 |
| 20% | £172.01 to £204 | £242.01 to £285 |
| None | Over £204 | Over £285 |
Second homes, holiday lets and empty homes in the Bay
Torbay has charged a 100% premium on furnished homes with no resident since 1 April 2025. A Band D second home pays £4,940.50. Holiday lets move to business rates only when the Valuation Office Agency agrees they were available to let for at least 140 nights and actually let for at least 70. Until then the owner keeps paying council tax plus the premium.
Empty, unfurnished homes pay 200% after one year, 300% after five years and 400% after ten. The clock starts on the first day the home is empty and keeps running when it changes hands. Torbay Council care leavers who were in its care for at least 13 weeks since age 14, including on their 16th birthday, get a discount until they turn 25.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Torbay?
£2,470.25 a year in 2026/27, or £247.03 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Torbay?
Band B: 17,860 of 69,030 homes (26%). A Band B bill is £1,921.31 in 2026/27.
How much has Torbay council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,350.64 to £2,470.25 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 57%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Torbay?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,005.17; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38.94; Police and crime commissioner £303.20; Fire and rescue authority £109.68; Parish/town council (average) £13.26 (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.
What is the maximum Council Tax Reduction in Torbay?
75% for working-age claimants. Pension-age claimants are assessed under the national scheme and can get up to 100%.
When does a Torbay holiday let pay business rates instead of council tax?
When the Valuation Office Agency agrees it was available to let for at least 140 nights and actually let for 70 or more. Until then, council tax and the 100% second homes premium apply.
Do care leavers pay council tax in Torbay?
Torbay Council care leavers under 25 get a discount, which is applied after all other discounts and exemptions.
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)
- Torbay Council – Working Age Council Tax reduction
- Torbay Council – Second and holiday homes
- Torbay Council – Unoccupied, empty and uninhabitable properties
- Torbay Council – Care leavers