Westmorland and Furness Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Westmorland and Furness is £2,507.99 for 2026/27, up 5% (£118.99) on last year. That is £116.47 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 207th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (25%), so the average bill per home is about £2,307.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, North West · Official England government statistics
Westmorland and Furness council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,671.99 | £167.20 | £139.33 | £1,254.00 | 29,260 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,950.66 | £195.07 | £162.55 | £1,462.99 | 24,520 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,229.32 | £222.93 | £185.78 | £1,671.99 | 23,370 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,507.99 | £250.80 | £209.00 | £1,880.99 | 17,840 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,065.32 | £306.53 | £255.44 | £2,298.99 | 12,820 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,622.65 | £362.27 | £301.89 | £2,716.99 | 6,490 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,179.98 | £418.00 | £348.33 | £3,134.99 | 3,440 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,015.98 | £501.60 | £418.00 | £3,761.98 | 330 |
- Westmorland and Furness
- England average
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Where your Westmorland and Furness council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Westmorland and Furness but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,507.99 Band D charge, £2,014.73 (80%) 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) | £1,976.42 | 78.8% | £1,317.61 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £38.31 | 1.5% | £25.54 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £338.94 | 13.5% | £225.96 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £103.14 | 4.1% | £68.76 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £51.18 | 2.0% | £34.12 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,976 78.8%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £339 13.5%
- Fire and rescue authority £103 4.1%
- Parish/town council (average) £51 2.0%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Westmorland and Furness; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Westmorland and Furness council tax history
Band D in Westmorland and Furness has risen from £2,173.08 in 2023/24 to £2,507.99 in 2026/27 — 15% in 3 years. Westmorland and Furness was created in 2023, so earlier figures are for its predecessor councils and not shown.
- Westmorland and Furness Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,507.99 | +5.0% | £1,671.99 |
| 2025/26 | £2,389.00 | +4.9% | £1,592.67 |
| 2024/25 | £2,277.47 | +4.8% | £1,518.31 |
| 2023/24 | £2,173.08 | – | £1,448.72 |
Homes by council tax band in Westmorland and Furness
Westmorland and Furness has 118,070 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 46% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is A, which costs £1,671.99 a year (£167.20 a month over 10 instalments).
Westmorland and Furness compared with North West
Westmorland and Furness is the 21st cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£24.77 less than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Knowsley | £2,488.25 | +4.9% |
| Wirral | £2,500.59 | +5% |
| Lancaster | £2,503.19 | +4% |
| Westmorland and Furness | £2,507.99 | +5% |
| Cumberland | £2,511.32 | +4.9% |
| Blackpool | £2,513.22 | +5.1% |
| Cheshire West and Chester | £2,517.33 | +5.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Westmorland and Furness drops from £1,671.99 to £1,254.00.
- Council Tax Reduction: Westmorland and Furness 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).
Westmorland and Furness's 5% 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.
Second homes in Westmorland and Furness
Westmorland and Furness has charged a 100% second homes premium since 1 April 2025, so a furnished home with no permanent resident pays 200% of the normal bill. Councillors agreed it on 22 February 2024. The council estimates the premium raises £10.655 million a year. It says the money supports core services and pays for £5 million of investment aimed at the communities most affected by second homes, including affordable housing.
On a Band D home in 2026/27 the doubled bill is £5,015.98. There is no discount at all on a furnished home that nobody lives in. Holiday lets only leave council tax if the Valuation Office Agency moves them to business rates: in the last 12 months the property must have been available to let for at least 140 nights and actually let for at least 70. The council itself does not make that decision.
If you put a second home up for sale at a reasonable price, the premium is waived for 12 months. The council also has its own discretionary exceptions on top of the national ones, set out in its Council Tax Premium Exceptions Policy.
Empty homes: six months free, then premiums
An unoccupied and unfurnished home gets a 100% discount for its first six months. The discount stays with the property, so a new owner does not get a fresh six months. After that the full charge applies, and premiums start after one year empty.
- There is no longer a discount for homes undergoing structural repair. Instead, the council points owners to the VOA to ask for an uninhabitable home to be removed from the list.
- Band A is used in the table because it is the most common band here (29,260 homes).
| How long empty | Total charge | Band A bill 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 6 months (unfurnished) | 0% | £0.00 |
| 6 to 12 months | 100% | £1,671.99 |
| 1 to 5 years | 200% | £3,343.99 |
| 5 to 10 years | 300% | £5,015.98 |
| Over 10 years | 400% | £6,687.97 |
Paying and Council Tax Reduction
The council was formed in 2023 from Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland districts and part of Cumbria County Council. Billing still runs on the three old district systems, so direct debit links, online payment and phone lines differ by area. Direct debit lets you choose your payment date and pay over 10 or 12 months. Online card payments take debit cards only.
The council's budget, approved on 26 February 2026, raised its council tax requirement from £184.5 million to £194.1 million. Council Tax Reduction is means-tested and you cannot normally claim with more than £16,000 in savings. If you live with another adult on a low income, you may get Alternative Council Tax Reduction (second adult rebate) instead.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Westmorland and Furness?
£2,507.99 a year in 2026/27, or £250.80 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Westmorland and Furness?
Band A: 29,260 of 118,070 homes (25%). A Band A bill is £1,671.99 in 2026/27.
How much has Westmorland and Furness council tax gone up?
5% this year, from £2,389.00 to £2,507.99 at Band D. Since 2023/24 it has risen 15%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Westmorland and Furness?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,976.42; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38.31; Police and crime commissioner £338.94; Fire and rescue authority £103.14; Parish/town council (average) £51.18 (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 much does the Westmorland and Furness second homes premium raise?
The council estimates £10.655 million a year from the 100% premium, which started on 1 April 2025. Part of it funds £5 million of investment including affordable housing.
Is there a discount for an empty home in Westmorland and Furness?
Yes. An unoccupied, unfurnished home gets 100% off for its first six months, and that applies to the property, not the owner. Full council tax is due after that, and a 100% premium starts after one year.
When does a holiday let stop paying council tax in Cumbria?
When the Valuation Office Agency rates it for business rates. That requires it to have been available to let for at least 140 nights and actually let for at least 70 nights in the last 12 months.
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)
- Westmorland and Furness Council – Council tax second homes
- Westmorland and Furness Council – Homes that are empty for over a year
- Westmorland and Furness Council – Pay your Council Tax bill
- Westmorland and Furness Council – Budget
- Westmorland and Furness Council – Make a claim for Council Tax Reduction