Tunbridge Wells Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Tunbridge Wells is £2,446.15 for 2026/27, up 4.2% (£98.95) on last year. That is £54.63 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 154th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (27%), so the average bill per home is about £2,648.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Tunbridge Wells council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,630.77 | £163.08 | £135.90 | £1,223.08 | 3,510 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,902.56 | £190.26 | £158.55 | £1,426.92 | 5,460 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,174.36 | £217.44 | £181.20 | £1,630.77 | 14,290 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,446.15 | £244.62 | £203.85 | £1,834.61 | 11,190 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,989.74 | £298.97 | £249.14 | £2,242.30 | 7,240 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,533.33 | £353.33 | £294.44 | £2,650.00 | 5,290 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,076.92 | £407.69 | £339.74 | £3,057.69 | 5,680 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,892.30 | £489.23 | £407.69 | £3,669.23 | 620 |
- Tunbridge Wells
- England average
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Where your Tunbridge Wells council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Tunbridge Wells but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,446.15 Band D charge, £217.10 (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 | £217.10 | 8.9% | £192.98 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,758.60 | 71.9% | £1,563.20 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.15 | 11.7% | £253.47 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £99.81 | 4.1% | £88.72 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £85.49 | 3.5% | £75.99 |
- District council £217 8.9%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,759 71.9%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 11.7%
- Fire and rescue authority £100 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £85 3.5%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Tunbridge Wells; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Tunbridge Wells council tax history
Band D in Tunbridge Wells has risen from £1,568.91 in 2016/17 to £2,446.15 in 2026/27 — 56% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.3%, the 183rd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Tunbridge Wells Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,446.15 | +4.2% | £2,174.36 |
| 2025/26 | £2,347.20 | +4.9% | £2,086.40 |
| 2024/25 | £2,237.66 | +4.8% | £1,989.03 |
| 2023/24 | £2,135.17 | +5.2% | £1,897.93 |
| 2022/23 | £2,029.76 | +3.2% | £1,804.23 |
| 2021/22 | £1,967.73 | +4.9% | £1,749.09 |
| 2020/21 | £1,875.70 | +3.9% | £1,667.29 |
| 2019/20 | £1,804.54 | +5.6% | £1,604.04 |
| 2018/19 | £1,709.15 | +4.9% | £1,519.24 |
| 2017/18 | £1,629.80 | +3.9% | £1,448.71 |
| 2016/17 | £1,568.91 | – | £1,394.59 |
Homes by council tax band in Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells has 53,280 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 17% 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 £2,174.36 a year (£217.44 a month over 10 instalments).
Tunbridge Wells compared with South East
Tunbridge Wells is the 26th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£29.30 more than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury | £2,419.33 | +4.2% |
| New Forest | £2,419.76 | +5.1% |
| Horsham | £2,441.01 | +5.1% |
| Tunbridge Wells | £2,446.15 | +4.2% |
| Worthing | £2,456.13 | +4.8% |
| Dover | £2,461.74 | +4.1% |
| Chichester | £2,469.68 | +5.3% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Tunbridge Wells drops from £2,174.36 to £1,630.77.
- Council Tax Reduction: Tunbridge Wells 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).
Tunbridge Wells's 4.2% 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.
Tunbridge Wells' five-band Council Tax Reduction
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council assesses working-age households under an income-banded scheme with five bands, and the most it will pay is 80%. From 1 April 2026 only employment earnings count as income; benefits are ignored. People who are not working and get maximum Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support go straight into the 80% band. As weekly earnings rise, the award falls to 65%, 50%, 25% and finally 10%. Anyone with more than £10,000 in savings cannot claim. Pension-age households are assessed under the national scheme.
Worked example: an 80% award on a Band C home (£2,174.36 in 2026/27) leaves £434.87 to pay over the year. The council deducts £5 a week if a non-dependant adult on out-of-work benefits lives with you, or £10 a week if they work.
| Reduction | No children (weekly earnings) | 1–2 children | 3+ children |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80% | UC or other state benefits only | UC or other state benefits only | UC or other state benefits only |
| 65% | Less than £82.14 | Less than £100.60 | Less than £114.63 |
| 50% | £82.14 to £164.27 | £100.60 to £201.44 | £114.63 to £229.52 |
| 25% | £164.28 to £246.42 | £201.45 to £302.30 | £229.53 to £344.41 |
| 10% | £246.43 to £328.55 | £302.31 to £403.15 | £344.42 to £459.30 |
Premiums, payment options and where the money goes
- Full Council approved the second homes premium on 28 February 2024, and it has applied since 1 April 2025. Furnished homes that are nobody's main home pay 200%.
- There is no discount for an empty home that needs or is undergoing major repairs or structural work.
- Empty, unfurnished homes pay a 100% premium after one year, 200% after five years and 300% after ten. A home only stops counting as empty once someone furnishes it and lives there for more than six weeks in a row.
- Second homes kept because of a job-related dwelling can get a 50% discount.
- You can pay over 10 or 12 monthly instalments, half-yearly or in one go. Direct Debits are taken on the 1st or 15th.
- Only about 9% of the bill funds borough services, about 59p a day. At Band D the borough's share is £217.10, and Kent County Council's is £1,758.60.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Tunbridge Wells?
£2,446.15 a year in 2026/27, or £244.62 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Tunbridge Wells?
Band C: 14,290 of 53,280 homes (27%). A Band C bill is £2,174.36 in 2026/27.
How much has Tunbridge Wells council tax gone up?
4.2% this year, from £2,347.20 to £2,446.15 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 56%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Tunbridge Wells?
District council £217.10; 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) £85.49 (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 Tunbridge Wells?
80% for working-age households. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100% under the national scheme.
Can I pay Tunbridge Wells council tax half-yearly?
Yes. You can pay by Direct Debit over 10 or 12 months, half-yearly or annually, on the 1st or 15th.
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)
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – Council Tax Reduction Scheme
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – Reducing your bill
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – Pay by Direct Debit
- Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – Your Council Tax