Welwyn Hatfield Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Welwyn Hatfield is £2,452.26 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£118.80) on last year. That is £60.74 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 160th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (32%), so the average bill per home is about £2,604.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, East of England · Official England government statistics
Welwyn Hatfield council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,634.84 | £163.48 | £136.24 | £1,226.13 | 1,250 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,907.31 | £190.73 | £158.94 | £1,430.49 | 5,840 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,179.79 | £217.98 | £181.65 | £1,634.84 | 16,380 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,452.26 | £245.23 | £204.36 | £1,839.20 | 12,620 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,997.21 | £299.72 | £249.77 | £2,247.91 | 5,610 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,542.15 | £354.22 | £295.18 | £2,656.62 | 4,500 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,087.10 | £408.71 | £340.59 | £3,065.33 | 4,010 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,904.52 | £490.45 | £408.71 | £3,678.39 | 760 |
- Welwyn Hatfield
- England average
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Where your Welwyn Hatfield council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Welwyn Hatfield but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £2,452.26 Band D charge, £252.00 (10%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £252.00 | 10.3% | £224.00 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,858.19 | 75.8% | £1,651.72 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £280.00 | 11.4% | £248.89 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £62.07 | 2.5% | £55.17 |
- District council £252 10.3%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,858 75.8%
- Police and crime commissioner £280 11.4%
- Parish/town council (average) £62 2.5%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Welwyn Hatfield; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Welwyn Hatfield council tax history
Band D in Welwyn Hatfield has risen from £1,569.35 in 2016/17 to £2,452.26 in 2026/27 — 56% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.2%, the 95th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Welwyn Hatfield Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,452.26 | +5.1% | £2,179.79 |
| 2025/26 | £2,333.46 | +4.9% | £2,074.19 |
| 2024/25 | £2,224.88 | +4.9% | £1,977.67 |
| 2023/24 | £2,120.69 | +5.0% | £1,885.06 |
| 2022/23 | £2,019.94 | +3.9% | £1,795.50 |
| 2021/22 | £1,943.90 | +4.1% | £1,727.91 |
| 2020/21 | £1,867.06 | +3.8% | £1,659.61 |
| 2019/20 | £1,799.50 | +4.0% | £1,599.56 |
| 2018/19 | £1,730.42 | +5.5% | £1,538.15 |
| 2017/18 | £1,639.92 | +4.5% | £1,457.71 |
| 2016/17 | £1,569.35 | – | £1,394.98 |
Homes by council tax band in Welwyn Hatfield
Welwyn Hatfield has 50,970 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 14% 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 £2,179.79 a year (£217.98 a month over 10 instalments).
Welwyn Hatfield compared with East of England
Welwyn Hatfield is the 33rd cheapest of 45 councils in East of England, where the average Band D across councils is £2,391.20 (£61.06 less than here). Cheapest: Thurrock (£2,254.68); most expensive: Huntingdonshire (£2,556.40).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Breckland | £2,443.67 | +4.9% |
| Watford | £2,446.70 | +4.4% |
| North Hertfordshire | £2,448.52 | +5% |
| Welwyn Hatfield | £2,452.26 | +5.1% |
| East Hertfordshire | £2,454.78 | +4.9% |
| North Norfolk | £2,459.93 | +5.1% |
| Cambridge | £2,467.02 | +4.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Welwyn Hatfield drops from £2,179.79 to £1,634.84.
- Council Tax Reduction: Welwyn Hatfield 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).
Welwyn Hatfield'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.
Welwyn Hatfield Council Tax Support: 75%, capped at Band E
Welwyn Hatfield's working-age Council Tax Support covers up to 75% of the bill. In Bands F, G and H, support is limited to 75% of the Band E charge. A claimant on full support in a Band C home (16,380 homes, the borough's most common band) pays £544.95 a year in 2026/27. In a Band G home they pay £1,839.19, because support stops at 75% of £2,997.21. You claim through the Housing Benefit form. Council Tax Support Hardship Relief can help if you still cannot pay.
Parish rates across the borough
Band D bills vary by about £170 across the borough, depending on the parish.
| Parish | Band D 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Ayot St Lawrence | £2,384.97 |
| Welwyn Garden City | £2,405.28 |
| Ayot St Peter | £2,410.71 |
| Woolmer Green | £2,427.83 |
| North Mymms | £2,435.70 |
| Northaw & Cuffley | £2,468.89 |
| Welwyn | £2,485.53 |
| Hatfield | £2,505.24 |
| Essendon | £2,557.90 |
Empty homes, second homes and payment dates
- Empty, unfurnished homes can get a full discount for their first month only. They then pay 100% until one year, 200% from one to five years, 300% from five to ten years and 400% after ten.
- Since 1 April 2025 second homes have paid 200%.
- Direct Debits can be taken on the 1st, 15th or 25th, over 10 or 12 months. If you do not choose, payments are taken on the 1st over 10 months.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Welwyn Hatfield?
£2,452.26 a year in 2026/27, or £245.23 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Welwyn Hatfield?
Band C: 16,380 of 50,970 homes (32%). A Band C bill is £2,179.79 in 2026/27.
How much has Welwyn Hatfield council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,333.46 to £2,452.26 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 56%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Welwyn Hatfield?
District council £252.00; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,858.19; Police and crime commissioner £280.00; Parish/town council (average) £62.07 (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 Welwyn Hatfield?
75% of the bill for working-age claimants. In Bands F to H, it is capped at 75% of the Band E charge.
Which part of Welwyn Hatfield has the highest council tax?
Essendon, at £2,557.90 for Band D in 2026/27. Ayot St Lawrence is the lowest at £2,384.97.
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)
- Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council – Find out what support you can get
- Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council – Council Tax Band D charges
- Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council – Council Tax premiums for empty or second homes
- Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council – Pay Council Tax