Wakefield Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Wakefield is £2,296.89 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£110.96) on last year. That is £94.63 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 54th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (48%), so the average bill per home is about £1,849.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, Yorkshire and The Humber · Official England government statistics
Wakefield council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,531.26 | £153.13 | £127.60 | £1,148.44 | 79,880 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,786.47 | £178.65 | £148.87 | £1,339.85 | 31,580 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,041.68 | £204.17 | £170.14 | £1,531.26 | 25,030 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,296.89 | £229.69 | £191.41 | £1,722.67 | 16,400 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,807.31 | £280.73 | £233.94 | £2,105.48 | 8,950 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,317.73 | £331.77 | £276.48 | £2,488.30 | 2,610 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,828.15 | £382.82 | £319.01 | £2,871.11 | 1,240 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,593.78 | £459.38 | £382.82 | £3,445.34 | 100 |
- Wakefield
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Wakefield council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Wakefield but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,296.89 Band D charge, £1,891.63 (82%) 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 A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,855.60 | 80.8% | £1,237.07 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £36.03 | 1.6% | £24.02 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £278.28 | 12.1% | £185.52 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £89.49 | 3.9% | £59.66 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £37.49 | 1.6% | £24.99 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,856 80.8%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £278 12.1%
- Fire and rescue authority £89 3.9%
- Parish/town council (average) £37 1.6%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Wakefield; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Wakefield council tax history
Band D in Wakefield has risen from £1,445.97 in 2016/17 to £2,296.89 in 2026/27 — 59% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 27.0%, the 62nd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Wakefield Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,296.89 | +5.1% | £1,531.26 |
| 2025/26 | £2,185.93 | +5.1% | £1,457.29 |
| 2024/25 | £2,079.80 | +5.0% | £1,386.53 |
| 2023/24 | £1,980.54 | +5.2% | £1,320.36 |
| 2022/23 | £1,882.64 | +4.1% | £1,255.09 |
| 2021/22 | £1,808.42 | +4.2% | £1,205.61 |
| 2020/21 | £1,734.73 | +3.9% | £1,156.49 |
| 2019/20 | £1,668.91 | +5.0% | £1,112.61 |
| 2018/19 | £1,590.01 | +5.1% | £1,060.01 |
| 2017/18 | £1,512.63 | +4.6% | £1,008.42 |
| 2016/17 | £1,445.97 | – | £963.98 |
Homes by council tax band in Wakefield
Wakefield has 165,790 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 67% are in Bands A or B, so for most households the real bill is well below the Band D figure. The most common band is A, which costs £1,531.26 a year (£153.13 a month over 10 instalments).
Wakefield compared with Yorkshire and The Humber
Wakefield is the 5th cheapest of 15 councils in Yorkshire and The Humber, where the average Band D across councils is £2,374.19 (£77.30 more than here). Cheapest: Doncaster (£2,167.75); most expensive: North Yorkshire (£2,544.34).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | £2,283.73 | +5.1% |
| York | £2,287.15 | +5.2% |
| Kingston upon Hull | £2,295.04 | +5.2% |
| Wakefield | £2,296.89 | +5.1% |
| Barnsley | £2,325.96 | +3.8% |
| North Lincolnshire | £2,348.46 | +4.9% |
| Bradford | £2,360.73 | +5.1% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Wakefield drops from £1,531.26 to £1,148.44.
- Council Tax Reduction: Wakefield 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).
Wakefield'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.
Wakefield's new Council Tax Support scheme: benefits no longer counted
From 1 April 2026 Wakefield Council stopped counting income from the Department for Work and Pensions when it works out working-age Council Tax Support. That includes Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment. If DWP benefits are your only income, you get 70%, less any non-dependant deduction. Other income, such as earnings, self-employed profit and private pensions, places you in a lower band.
So a working-age household on benefits alone in a Band A home, the most common band in the district (79,880 homes), pays 30% of £1,531.26, which is £459.38 for 2026/27.
- Capital limit: £6,000. For Universal Credit claimants, the council uses the DWP's own income and capital figures.
- Every non-dependant deduction is a flat £7.50 a week from April 2026.
- A Minimum Income Floor of 35 hours at the National Minimum Wage, after tax and NI, applies to businesses trading for over 12 months.
| Assessed weekly income (non-DWP) | Support | Band A bill after support (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| 0p to £55 | 70% | £459.38 |
| £55.01 to £165 | 55% | £689.07 |
| £165.01 to £220 | 40% | £918.76 |
| £220.01 to £285 | 25% | £1,148.44 |
| Above £285 | None | £1,531.26 |
Empty homes, second homes and paying
Since 1 April 2025, furnished homes with nobody living there pay a 100% premium from the day they become unoccupied. Unfurnished homes pay the premium after one year, instead of two. The empty period runs across changes of owner. Under the heading for its pre-April 2025 rules, Wakefield's page also describes a temporary reduction for buyers of homes already paying the premium that need renovating: up to six months without the premium if you plan to live there, or three months if you plan to let or sell.
Direct Debits can be taken on the 1st, 14th, 16th or 25th of the month, or weekly or fortnightly on a Tuesday or Friday. You can pay over 10 months (April to January) or 12 (April to March).
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Wakefield?
£2,296.89 a year in 2026/27, or £229.69 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Wakefield?
Band A: 79,880 of 165,790 homes (48%). A Band A bill is £1,531.26 in 2026/27.
How much has Wakefield council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,185.93 to £2,296.89 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 59%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Wakefield?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,855.60; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £36.03; Police and crime commissioner £278.28; Fire and rescue authority £89.49; Parish/town council (average) £37.49 (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 most Council Tax Support I can get in Wakefield?
70% for working-age claimants whose only income is DWP benefits. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100% under the national scheme.
Does Universal Credit count as income for Wakefield Council Tax Support?
No. From 1 April 2026 all DWP income, including Universal Credit, is ignored. Only other income, such as earnings, counts.
Can I pay Wakefield council tax weekly?
Yes. Direct Debit can be weekly or fortnightly on a Tuesday or Friday, or monthly on the 1st, 14th, 16th or 25th.
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)
- Wakefield Council – Working Age Council Tax Support Scheme
- Wakefield Council – Empty properties
- Wakefield Council – How to pay your Council Tax