West Berkshire Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in West Berkshire is £2,505.37 for 2026/27, up 5.1% (£122.53) on last year. That is £113.85 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 206th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (28%), so the average bill per home is about £2,671.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South East · Official England government statistics
West Berkshire council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,670.25 | £167.02 | £139.19 | £1,252.69 | 2,800 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,948.62 | £194.86 | £162.39 | £1,461.47 | 7,460 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,227.00 | £222.70 | £185.58 | £1,670.25 | 20,660 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,505.37 | £250.54 | £208.78 | £1,879.03 | 17,980 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,062.12 | £306.21 | £255.18 | £2,296.59 | 11,020 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,618.87 | £361.89 | £301.57 | £2,714.15 | 7,190 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,175.62 | £417.56 | £347.97 | £3,131.71 | 4,920 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,010.74 | £501.07 | £417.56 | £3,758.06 | 780 |
- West Berkshire
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your West Berkshire council tax goes
Your bill is collected by West Berkshire but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,505.37 Band D charge, £2,017.32 (81%) 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 C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,978.89 | 79.0% | £1,759.01 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £38.43 | 1.5% | £34.16 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £298.28 | 11.9% | £265.14 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £91.31 | 3.6% | £81.16 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £98.46 | 3.9% | £87.52 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,979 79.0%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £298 11.9%
- Fire and rescue authority £91 3.6%
- Parish/town council (average) £98 3.9%
The parish or community council figure is an average across West Berkshire; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
West Berkshire council tax history
Band D in West Berkshire has risen from £1,603.73 in 2016/17 to £2,505.37 in 2026/27 — 56% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 27.5%, the 53rd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- West Berkshire Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,505.37 | +5.1% | £2,227.00 |
| 2025/26 | £2,382.84 | +5.3% | £2,118.08 |
| 2024/25 | £2,263.62 | +5.2% | £2,012.11 |
| 2023/24 | £2,152.65 | +5.2% | £1,913.47 |
| 2022/23 | £2,046.37 | +4.1% | £1,819.00 |
| 2021/22 | £1,965.61 | +2.5% | £1,747.21 |
| 2020/21 | £1,916.99 | +4.0% | £1,703.99 |
| 2019/20 | £1,842.99 | +4.0% | £1,638.21 |
| 2018/19 | £1,772.67 | +5.8% | £1,575.71 |
| 2017/18 | £1,675.21 | +4.5% | £1,489.08 |
| 2016/17 | £1,603.73 | – | £1,425.54 |
Homes by council tax band in West Berkshire
West Berkshire has 72,810 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 £2,227.00 a year (£222.70 a month over 10 instalments).
West Berkshire compared with South East
West Berkshire is the 37th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£29.92 less than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Runnymede | £2,492.99 | +4.7% |
| Wokingham | £2,497.70 | +5.1% |
| Maidstone | £2,502.59 | +4.1% |
| West Berkshire | £2,505.37 | +5.1% |
| Mole Valley | £2,519.86 | +4.7% |
| Sevenoaks | £2,522.36 | +4.3% |
| Spelthorne | £2,526.44 | +4.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in West Berkshire drops from £2,227.00 to £1,670.25.
- Council Tax Reduction: West Berkshire 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).
West Berkshire'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.
West Berkshire premiums in practice
West Berkshire Council charges both the long-term empty premium and the 100% second homes premium. The government's October 2025 Council Taxbase shows 194 second homes in the district, and 188 of them were paying the premium. That is far fewer than in coastal or rural districts. A Band D second home pays £5,010.74 in 2026/27.
Of 1,435 empty homes, 456 were paying the long-term empty premium. 420 were in the one-to-five-year bracket (419 at 100% and one at 50%; the council told MHCLG it reports homes empty for one to two years within its two-to-five-year figures), 20 at 200% after five years, and 16 at 300% after ten years. Another 979 empty homes were paying the standard charge with no discount.
Council Tax Support and where your bill goes
West Berkshire expected to forgo about £7.7 million of council tax through Council Tax Support in 2025-26. This was split almost equally between pensioners (£3.86 million) and working-age households (£3.84 million). Of the £2,505.37 Band D bill, £2,017.32 goes to the council, of which £38.43 is this year's adult social care increase. Thames Valley Police receives £298.28 and Royal Berkshire Fire £91.31.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in West Berkshire?
£2,505.37 a year in 2026/27, or £250.54 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in West Berkshire?
Band C: 20,660 of 72,810 homes (28%). A Band C bill is £2,227.00 in 2026/27.
How much has West Berkshire council tax gone up?
5.1% this year, from £2,382.84 to £2,505.37 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 56%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in West Berkshire?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,978.89; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38.43; Police and crime commissioner £298.28; Fire and rescue authority £91.31; Parish/town council (average) £98.46 (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.
How many second homes pay the premium in West Berkshire?
188 of the 194 second homes recorded in October 2025 were paying the 100% premium.
How many long-term empty homes are there in West Berkshire?
456 empty homes were paying a premium in October 2025, including 16 empty for more than ten years.
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)
- MHCLG – Council Taxbase 2025 in England (local authority level data)