Wiltshire Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Wiltshire is £2,571.78 for 2026/27, up 5.3% (£128.38) on last year. That is £180.26 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 245th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band C (25%), so the average bill per home is about £2,564.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Unitary authority, South West · Official England government statistics
Wiltshire council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,714.52 | £171.45 | £142.88 | £1,285.89 | 27,080 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,000.27 | £200.03 | £166.69 | £1,500.21 | 43,040 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,286.03 | £228.60 | £190.50 | £1,714.52 | 59,100 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,571.78 | £257.18 | £214.32 | £1,928.84 | 41,450 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,143.29 | £314.33 | £261.94 | £2,357.47 | 31,870 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,714.79 | £371.48 | £309.57 | £2,786.10 | 18,670 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,286.30 | £428.63 | £357.19 | £3,214.73 | 11,590 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,143.56 | £514.36 | £428.63 | £3,857.67 | 1,380 |
- Wiltshire
- England average
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Where your Wiltshire council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Wiltshire but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,571.78 Band D charge, £1,981.15 (77%) 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) | £1,943.41 | 75.6% | £1,727.48 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £37.74 | 1.5% | £33.55 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £298.27 | 11.6% | £265.13 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £96.95 | 3.8% | £86.18 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £195.41 | 7.6% | £173.70 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,943 75.6%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £38 1.5%
- Police and crime commissioner £298 11.6%
- Fire and rescue authority £97 3.8%
- Parish/town council (average) £195 7.6%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Wiltshire; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Wiltshire council tax history
Band D in Wiltshire has risen from £1,594.72 in 2016/17 to £2,571.78 in 2026/27 — 61% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 26.6%, the 77th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Wiltshire Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,571.78 | +5.3% | £2,286.03 |
| 2025/26 | £2,443.40 | +4.9% | £2,171.91 |
| 2024/25 | £2,330.28 | +5.1% | £2,071.36 |
| 2023/24 | £2,216.29 | +5.5% | £1,970.04 |
| 2022/23 | £2,100.24 | +3.4% | £1,866.88 |
| 2021/22 | £2,031.06 | +5.0% | £1,805.39 |
| 2020/21 | £1,934.80 | +4.3% | £1,719.82 |
| 2019/20 | £1,854.68 | +4.3% | £1,648.60 |
| 2018/19 | £1,777.94 | +6.4% | £1,580.39 |
| 2017/18 | £1,670.84 | +4.8% | £1,485.19 |
| 2016/17 | £1,594.72 | – | £1,417.53 |
Homes by council tax band in Wiltshire
Wiltshire has 234,180 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 30% are in Bands A or B. The most common band is C, which costs £2,286.03 a year (£228.60 a month over 10 instalments).
Wiltshire compared with South West
Wiltshire is the 17th cheapest of 27 councils in South West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,511.40 (£60.38 less than here). Cheapest: Isles of Scilly (£2,047.96); most expensive: Dorset (£2,765.02).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Exeter | £2,495.36 | +4.9% |
| South Gloucestershire | £2,550.59 | +5.1% |
| Somerset | £2,560.59 | +5% |
| Wiltshire | £2,571.78 | +5.3% |
| Cornwall | £2,590.93 | +5.3% |
| East Devon | £2,595.46 | +5.4% |
| Torridge | £2,601.42 | +4.9% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band C bill in Wiltshire drops from £2,286.03 to £1,714.52.
- Council Tax Reduction: Wiltshire 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).
Wiltshire's 5.3% 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.
Wiltshire voted against a second homes premium
Wiltshire is one of the English councils that does not charge extra on second homes. At an extraordinary Full Council meeting on 7 January 2026, councillors voted 46 to 44, with one abstention, against a 100% second homes premium that would have started on 1 April 2027. The cabinet proposed it to raise money and encourage owners to live in or release homes. The Conservative and Reform UK group leaders opposed it, with opponents arguing Wiltshire has relatively few second homes and the exemptions would limit what it raised.
So in 2026/27 a furnished home that is nobody's main residence pays the normal 100% charge: £2,571.78 at Band D, including the average parish precept. Any future premium would need a fresh council vote at least 12 months before it takes effect.
Long-term empty homes: higher premiums from April 2026, but after two years
At the same meeting, the council voted to raise its long-term empty homes premium to the legal maximum from 1 April 2026. An amendment means the first premium starts only after two years empty, not one year as in most English councils.
- Band C is shown because it is Wiltshire's most common band, with 59,100 homes.
- Only the exceptions required by law apply, such as homes being actively marketed for sale or let (for up to 12 months) and homes left empty while the owner is in job-related armed forces accommodation.
- At the budget meeting on 24 February 2026, councillors removed a savings assumption of about £0.7 million linked to this premium from the 2026/27 budget, so that the budget did not depend on uncertain premium income. The premium itself still applies.
| How long empty and unfurnished | Premium | Band C bill 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | None | £2,286.03 |
| 2 to 5 years | 100% | £4,572.05 |
| 5 to 10 years | 200% | £6,858.08 |
| 10 years or more | 300% | £9,144.11 |
Wiltshire Council's share of the 2026/27 rise
Wiltshire Council's own Band D charge is £1,981.15, after the Budget and Council Tax Setting meeting on 24 February 2026 approved a 2.99% general rise plus a 2% levy spent only on adult social care, the most allowed without a referendum. It was presented as the first non-Conservative budget in Wiltshire Council's history. Police and fire precepts and parish councils make up the rest. Parishes matter more here than in most areas: the average parish precept is £195.41 at Band D, so your bill depends noticeably on which parish you live in.
Wiltshire set up its own working-age Council Tax Reduction scheme in 2013 and has revised it several times since. Pension-age claimants are assessed under the national scheme, which can cover 100% of the bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Wiltshire?
£2,571.78 a year in 2026/27, or £257.18 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Wiltshire?
Band C: 59,100 of 234,180 homes (25%). A Band C bill is £2,286.03 in 2026/27.
How much has Wiltshire council tax gone up?
5.3% this year, from £2,443.40 to £2,571.78 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 61%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Wiltshire?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £1,943.41; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £37.74; Police and crime commissioner £298.27; Fire and rescue authority £96.95; Parish/town council (average) £195.41 (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.
Does Wiltshire charge a second homes premium?
No. A proposal for a 100% premium from April 2027 was voted down 46 to 44 at Full Council on 7 January 2026. Second homes pay the standard charge.
When does the empty homes premium start in Wiltshire?
After two years empty and unfurnished, from 1 April 2026. The premium is 100% for 2 to 5 years, 200% for 5 to 10 years and 300% after 10 years.
How much did Wiltshire Council's own charge rise in 2026/27?
4.99%: 2.99% general council tax plus 2% for adult social care, the most allowed without a referendum.
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)
- Wiltshire Council – Extraordinary Council meeting, 7 January 2026 (minutes)
- Wiltshire Council – Council Tax: Second Homes report, January 2026 (PDF)
- Wiltshire Council – Council Tax: Empty Properties report, January 2026 (PDF)
- Wiltshire Council – Council Tax Reduction Scheme review, Cabinet September 2023 (PDF)
- Wiltshire Council – Budget and Council Tax Setting meeting, 24 February 2026 (minutes)
- Wiltshire Council – Extraordinary Council 7 January 2026: recorded vote on second homes premium
- Wiltshire Council – Alternative budget proposals report, February 2026 (PDF)