Westminster Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Westminster is £1,049.55 for 2026/27, up 3% (£30.55) on last year. That is £1,341.97 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 2nd lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band G (19%), so the average bill per home is about £1,399.
Updated 2026-10-03 · London borough, London · Official England government statistics
Westminster council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £699.70 | £69.97 | £58.31 | £524.78 | 1,640 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £816.32 | £81.63 | £68.03 | £612.24 | 6,390 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £932.93 | £93.29 | £77.74 | £699.70 | 15,600 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £1,049.55 | £104.96 | £87.46 | £787.16 | 22,880 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £1,282.78 | £128.28 | £106.90 | £962.09 | 24,360 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £1,516.02 | £151.60 | £126.33 | £1,137.01 | 19,260 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £1,749.25 | £174.93 | £145.77 | £1,311.94 | 24,630 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £2,099.10 | £209.91 | £174.92 | £1,574.32 | 17,280 |
- Westminster
- England average
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Where your Westminster council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Westminster but shared between 4 bodies. Of the £1,049.55 Band D charge, £537.74 (51%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for greater london authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £527.20 | 50.2% | £878.67 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £10.54 | 1.0% | £17.57 |
| Greater London Authority | £510.51 | 48.6% | £850.85 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £1.30 | 0.1% | £2.17 |
- Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £527 50.2%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £11 1.0%
- Greater London Authority £511 48.6%
- Parish/town council (average) £1 0.1%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Westminster; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Westminster council tax history
Band D in Westminster has risen from £669.07 in 2016/17 to £1,049.55 in 2026/27 — 57% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.6%, the 81st biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Westminster Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band G |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £1,049.55 | +3.0% | £1,749.25 |
| 2025/26 | £1,019.00 | +4.5% | £1,698.33 |
| 2024/25 | £975.02 | +6.7% | £1,625.03 |
| 2023/24 | £913.78 | +5.5% | £1,522.97 |
| 2022/23 | £865.78 | +4.4% | £1,442.97 |
| 2021/22 | £829.27 | +6.0% | £1,382.12 |
| 2020/21 | £781.99 | +3.5% | £1,303.32 |
| 2019/20 | £755.46 | +6.1% | £1,259.10 |
| 2018/19 | £712.09 | +3.5% | £1,186.82 |
| 2017/18 | £688.14 | +2.9% | £1,146.90 |
| 2016/17 | £669.07 | – | £1,115.12 |
Homes by council tax band in Westminster
Westminster has 132,040 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 6% 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 G, which costs £1,749.25 a year (£174.93 a month over 10 instalments).
Westminster compared with London
Westminster is the 2nd cheapest of 33 councils in London, where the average Band D across councils is £2,090.08 (£1,040.53 more than here). Cheapest: Wandsworth (£1,028.21); most expensive: Kingston upon Thames (£2,609.20).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wandsworth | £1,028.21 | +3.1% |
| Westminster | £1,049.55 | +3% |
| City of London | £1,329.56 | +4.4% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £1,519.51 | +4.7% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | £1,666.65 | +4.7% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band G bill in Westminster drops from £1,749.25 to £1,311.94.
- Council Tax Reduction: Westminster 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).
Westminster's 3% 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.
Why Westminster is the cheapest council tax in England
Westminster's own share of the bill stayed flat for 2026/27. The council's 2026/27 guide says the main Westminster element is frozen, and only the 2% adult social care precept went up. That is why the area's Band D rose by only 3%. Almost half of every bill (£510.51 at Band D) is the Greater London Authority precept, which pays for the Mayor's police, fire and transport budgets and is set at City Hall, not by Westminster.
Council tax is a small part of Westminster's money. Its 2026/27 guide puts the gross General Fund budget at £952 million and says council tax brings in only 8% of it. About 51% comes from rents, sales, fees and charges. That mix lets the council keep its share low.
The low rate matters most at the top of the scale. Westminster has 17,280 Band H homes. A Band H bill here is £2,099.10, while Band H at the England average rate costs £4,783.04.
Queen's Park and Montpelier Square pay extra
Two parts of the borough add a local precept to the standard bill. Queen's Park Community Council, created in April 2014, adds £52.31 at Band D for 2026/27. Residents of Montpelier Square in Knightsbridge pay a much larger special charge of £550.85 at Band D, which takes their Band D bill to £1,598.70. The figure on this page includes these as an average across the whole borough, so most homes pay slightly less than the headline Band D.
Second homes, empty homes and help with the bill
Westminster charges a 100% second home premium from 1 April 2025, so a furnished home that is nobody's main residence pays double. At Band G, the most common band, that is £3,498.50 a year. Long-term empty homes pay double after 12 months, triple after five years and four times the bill after ten years.
Council Tax Support can cover up to 100% of the bill. Westminster's working-age scheme still follows the old Council Tax Benefit calculation instead of a banded scheme, and war pensions are ignored in full. Working-age claims can be backdated up to six months if you had a good reason for claiming late. The council ran a consultation on changes to the working-age scheme that closes on 12 November 2026, so the rules may change from April 2027.
Care leavers get a 100% hardship reduction under section 13A. The council's care leaver team tells the council tax service, so you do not need to apply. Direct debit is set up online or on 0343 178 2743, and you can pay by card on the 24-hour line, 020 3772 2602.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Westminster?
£1,049.55 a year in 2026/27, or £104.96 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Westminster?
Band G: 24,630 of 132,040 homes (19%). A Band G bill is £1,749.25 in 2026/27.
How much has Westminster council tax gone up?
3% this year, from £1,019.00 to £1,049.55 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 57%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Westminster?
Borough council (incl. earlier adult social care) £527.20; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £10.54; Greater London Authority £510.51; Parish/town council (average) £1.30 (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.
Did Westminster council tax go up in 2026/27?
Only slightly. The council froze its main element and raised only the 2% adult social care precept. The Band D total rose 3% to £1,049.55, including the GLA precept.
What is the Queen's Park precept?
Queen's Park Community Council adds £52.31 a year at Band D in 2026/27, on top of the Westminster and GLA charges. It is the only parish council in Westminster.
Does Westminster charge double council tax on second homes?
Yes. A 100% second home premium has applied since 1 April 2025, so furnished homes with no permanent resident pay 200% of the normal bill.
Do care leavers pay council tax in Westminster?
Westminster gives care leavers a 100% reduction. The care leaver team tells the council tax service, so no application is needed.
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)
- Westminster City Council – Your guide to council tax 2026/27 (PDF)
- Westminster City Council – Council Tax bands and charges
- Westminster City Council – Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
- Westminster City Council – Council Tax Support scheme 2026/27 (PDF)
- Westminster City Council – Discounts and exemptions
- Westminster City Council – How to pay your Council Tax