Tower Hamlets Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Tower Hamlets is £1,837.78 for 2026/27, up 4.7% (£83.21) on last year. That is £553.74 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 6th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (27%), so the average bill per home is about £1,904.
Updated 2026-10-03 · London borough, London · Official England government statistics
Tower Hamlets council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,225.19 | £122.52 | £102.10 | £918.89 | 4,490 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,429.38 | £142.94 | £119.12 | £1,072.04 | 25,140 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £1,633.58 | £163.36 | £136.13 | £1,225.19 | 40,920 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £1,837.78 | £183.78 | £153.15 | £1,378.34 | 32,620 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,246.18 | £224.62 | £187.18 | £1,684.63 | 27,470 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £2,654.57 | £265.46 | £221.21 | £1,990.93 | 14,580 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,062.97 | £306.30 | £255.25 | £2,297.23 | 5,640 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £3,675.56 | £367.56 | £306.30 | £2,756.67 | 780 |
- Tower Hamlets
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Tower Hamlets council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Tower Hamlets but shared between 3 bodies. Of the £1,837.78 Band D charge, £1,327.27 (72%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for greater london authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,301.99 | 70.8% | £1,157.32 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £25.28 | 1.4% | £22.47 |
| Greater London Authority | £510.51 | 27.8% | £453.79 |
- Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,302 70.8%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £25 1.4%
- Greater London Authority £511 27.8%
Tower Hamlets council tax history
Band D in Tower Hamlets has risen from £1,196.85 in 2016/17 to £1,837.78 in 2026/27 — 54% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.4%, the 176th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Tower Hamlets Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £1,837.78 | +4.7% | £1,633.58 |
| 2025/26 | £1,754.57 | +4.7% | £1,559.62 |
| 2024/25 | £1,675.51 | +6.0% | £1,489.34 |
| 2023/24 | £1,581.02 | +4.0% | £1,405.35 |
| 2022/23 | £1,519.98 | +2.9% | £1,351.09 |
| 2021/22 | £1,476.92 | +6.1% | £1,312.82 |
| 2020/21 | £1,392.42 | +3.9% | £1,237.71 |
| 2019/20 | £1,340.18 | +4.7% | £1,191.27 |
| 2018/19 | £1,280.37 | +2.7% | £1,138.11 |
| 2017/18 | £1,246.82 | +4.2% | £1,108.28 |
| 2016/17 | £1,196.85 | – | £1,063.87 |
Homes by council tax band in Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets has 151,640 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 20% 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 £1,633.58 a year (£163.36 a month over 10 instalments).
Tower Hamlets compared with London
Tower Hamlets is the 6th cheapest of 33 councils in London, where the average Band D across councils is £2,090.08 (£252.30 more than here). Cheapest: Wandsworth (£1,028.21); most expensive: Kingston upon Thames (£2,609.20).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| City of London | £1,329.56 | +4.4% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £1,519.51 | +4.7% |
| 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% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Tower Hamlets drops from £1,633.58 to £1,225.19.
- Council Tax Reduction: Tower Hamlets 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).
Tower Hamlets's 4.7% 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.
Tower Hamlets' Council Tax Cost of Living Relief Fund
Tower Hamlets runs a scheme few other councils offer: a Council Tax Cost of Living Relief Fund for households that earn too much for Council Tax Reduction. To qualify you must be named on the bill and not get Council Tax Reduction. Your household must earn under £60,000 gross, have under £16,000 in savings, and have lived in the borough and been on the bill since before 1 April 2024. Employed applicants need payslips for March and April 2026. Awards are not backdated to earlier years.
| Band | Maximum award 2026/27 | With 25% single person discount |
|---|---|---|
| A | £72.15 | £54.11 |
| B | £83.99 | £62.99 |
| C | £96.37 | £72.28 |
| D | £107.91 | £80.93 |
| E | £132.44 | £99.33 |
| F | £156.14 | £117.11 |
| G | £180.37 | £135.28 |
| H | £216.23 | £162.17 |
Council Tax Reduction and premiums in Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets' main working-age Council Tax Reduction scheme is still worked out on 100% of the bill, so the poorest households can have the whole bill covered. It has a £6,000 savings limit, and self-employed people who have traded for over a year are treated as earning at least 35 hours a week at the minimum wage. Of the Band D bill, the borough's own share is £1,327.27, and the Greater London Authority adds £510.51.
Second homes have paid a 100% premium since 1 April 2025, so a Band C flat (40,920 homes, the most common band) pays £3,267.16. Homes empty for more than a year pay 200%, rising to 300% after five years and 400% after ten. Direct Debits can be taken on the 1st, 10th, 20th or 26th of the month.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Tower Hamlets?
£1,837.78 a year in 2026/27, or £183.78 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Tower Hamlets?
Band C: 40,920 of 151,640 homes (27%). A Band C bill is £1,633.58 in 2026/27.
How much has Tower Hamlets council tax gone up?
4.7% this year, from £1,754.57 to £1,837.78 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 54%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Tower Hamlets?
Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,301.99; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £25.28; 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.
What is the Tower Hamlets Council Tax Cost of Living Relief Fund?
An annual award for households with under £60,000 income and under £16,000 savings who do not get Council Tax Reduction. In 2026/27 the maximum is £107.91 for a Band D home, or £80.93 with a single person discount.
What direct debit dates does Tower Hamlets offer?
The 1st, 10th, 20th or 26th of the month.
Can a furnished let between tenants avoid the empty premium in Tower Hamlets?
Yes. Short gaps between tenancies in a furnished let do not trigger the premium if you tell the council with its moving-out form.
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)
- Tower Hamlets Council – Council Tax Cost of Living Relief Fund
- Tower Hamlets Council – Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme
- Tower Hamlets Council – Second homes premium
- Tower Hamlets Council – Empty properties
- Tower Hamlets Council – How to pay your Council Tax bill