Wigan Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Wigan is £2,152.68 for 2026/27, up 6% (£121.40) on last year. That is £238.84 below the England average of £2,391.52 — the 21st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (45%), so the average bill per home is about £1,726.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, North West · Official England government statistics
Wigan council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,435.12 | £143.51 | £119.59 | £1,076.34 | 69,250 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,674.31 | £167.43 | £139.53 | £1,255.73 | 35,080 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £1,913.49 | £191.35 | £159.46 | £1,435.12 | 26,110 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,152.68 | £215.27 | £179.39 | £1,614.51 | 13,560 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,631.05 | £263.11 | £219.25 | £1,973.29 | 7,810 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,109.43 | £310.94 | £259.12 | £2,332.07 | 2,030 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £3,587.80 | £358.78 | £298.98 | £2,690.85 | 660 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,305.36 | £430.54 | £358.78 | £3,229.02 | 60 |
- Wigan
- England average
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Where your Wigan council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Wigan but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,152.68 Band D charge, £1,712.29 (80%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, mayoral combined authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £1,679.67 | 78.0% | £1,119.78 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £32.62 | 1.5% | £21.75 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £285.30 | 13.3% | £190.20 |
| Mayoral combined authority | £153.95 | 7.2% | £102.63 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £1.14 | 0.1% | £0.76 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,680 78.0%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £33 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £285 13.3%
- Mayoral combined authority £154 7.2%
- Parish/town council (average) £1 0.1%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Wigan; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Wigan council tax history
Band D in Wigan has risen from £1,432.86 in 2016/17 to £2,152.68 in 2026/27 — 50% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 28.3%, the 30th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Wigan Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,152.68 | +6.0% | £1,435.12 |
| 2025/26 | £2,031.28 | +5.6% | £1,354.19 |
| 2024/25 | £1,923.63 | +5.0% | £1,282.42 |
| 2023/24 | £1,831.73 | +5.2% | £1,221.15 |
| 2022/23 | £1,741.39 | +3.7% | £1,160.93 |
| 2021/22 | £1,678.45 | +3.9% | £1,118.97 |
| 2020/21 | £1,615.94 | +3.2% | £1,077.29 |
| 2019/20 | £1,566.08 | +2.2% | £1,044.05 |
| 2018/19 | £1,533.08 | +3.9% | £1,022.05 |
| 2017/18 | £1,475.52 | +3.0% | £983.68 |
| 2016/17 | £1,432.86 | – | £955.24 |
Homes by council tax band in Wigan
Wigan has 154,560 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 68% 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 £1,435.12 a year (£143.51 a month over 10 instalments).
Wigan compared with North West
Wigan is the 1st cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£330.54 more than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wigan | £2,152.68 | +6% |
| Trafford | £2,291.70 | +8% |
| Manchester | £2,312.04 | +5.9% |
| Halton | £2,366.61 | +5.2% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Wigan drops from £1,435.12 to £1,076.34.
- Council Tax Reduction: Wigan 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).
Wigan's 6% 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 Wigan's bill rose 6% in 2026/27
Wigan's area Band D rose 6%, from £2,031.28 to £2,152.68. The fastest-growing part was the Greater Manchester Mayor's precept, which now pays for the fire service: Wigan's own figures show council tax collected for Greater Manchester Fire (including the mayoral precept) rising from £12.7 million to £15.4 million, a jump of about a fifth. The mayoral share is £153.95 at Band D this year. Council tax for Greater Manchester Police rose from £26.7 million to £28.5 million, and for Wigan Council itself from £160.8 million to £171.2 million, which is still the bulk of the extra money in cash terms. Wigan Council's own share, including adult social care, is £1,712.29 at Band D.
Council tax pays for only about 21% of what Wigan Council spends. The council says services cost around £16.1 million a week, and council tax contributes £3.3 million of that.
Council Tax Reduction: 80% cap for most working-age households
Wigan's working-age Council Tax Reduction covers at most 80% of the bill, unless the household has a child under 5. Pensioners and families with a child under 5 can get up to 100%. With 69,250 homes in Band A, the most common band, a working-age household getting the maximum award there still pays £287.02 a year.
Wigan does not backdate Council Tax Reduction. Support starts from the day the council receives a valid claim, so apply as soon as your income falls. If you do not qualify, the council will not write to you, and your bill stays the same. A separate Discretionary Council Tax Reduction, paid for entirely by the council, is there for people in serious financial difficulty.
Empty homes, second homes and paying
Before April 2024, Wigan charged only a 50% premium, and only after two years empty. Since 1 April 2024, a home empty and unfurnished for a year pays 200%, rising to 300% after five years and 400% after ten. Since 1 April 2025, furnished second homes pay 200% from the day they become unoccupied. The premium stays with the property when it is sold, and only six weeks or more of occupation resets the clock.
Direct debits can be taken on the 1st, 6th, 15th, 21st or 27th of the month, over 10 or 12 months. The automated card line is 01942 489006, and it does not take American Express.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Wigan?
£2,152.68 a year in 2026/27, or £215.27 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Wigan?
Band A: 69,250 of 154,560 homes (45%). A Band A bill is £1,435.12 in 2026/27.
How much has Wigan council tax gone up?
6% this year, from £2,031.28 to £2,152.68 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 50%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Wigan?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,679.67; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £32.62; Police and crime commissioner £285.30; Mayoral combined authority £153.95; Parish/town council (average) £1.14 (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 maximum Council Tax Reduction in Wigan?
Working-age households without a child under 5 can get up to 80% off. Pensioners and households with a child under 5 can get up to 100%.
Can Wigan backdate Council Tax Reduction?
No. Support starts from the day Wigan receives a valid claim.
Which direct debit dates does Wigan offer?
The 1st, 6th, 15th, 21st or 27th of the month, over 10 or 12 instalments.
Does selling an empty home in Wigan stop the premium?
No. The premium applies to the property, so a new owner inherits it. It is only removed once the home is occupied for at least six weeks.
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)
- Wigan Council – What your Council Tax is spent on
- Wigan Council – Council Tax explained
- Wigan Council – Council Tax Reduction
- Wigan Council – Premiums for unoccupied properties
- Wigan Council – Pay your Council Tax