Wirral Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Wirral is £2,500.59 for 2026/27, up 5% (£118.93) on last year. That is £109.07 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 201st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band A (40%), so the average bill per home is about £2,097.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Metropolitan district, North West · Official England government statistics
Wirral council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,667.06 | £166.71 | £138.92 | £1,250.30 | 61,400 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,944.90 | £194.49 | £162.08 | £1,458.68 | 33,310 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,222.75 | £222.27 | £185.23 | £1,667.06 | 27,780 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,500.59 | £250.06 | £208.38 | £1,875.44 | 13,710 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,056.28 | £305.63 | £254.69 | £2,292.21 | 8,610 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,611.96 | £361.20 | £301.00 | £2,708.97 | 4,390 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,167.65 | £416.77 | £347.30 | £3,125.74 | 3,210 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,001.18 | £500.12 | £416.77 | £3,750.89 | 290 |
- Wirral
- England average
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Where your Wirral council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Wirral but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,500.59 Band D charge, £2,081.37 (83%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, mayoral combined authority.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Council (incl. earlier adult social care) | £2,041.72 | 81.6% | £1,361.15 |
| Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase | £39.65 | 1.6% | £26.43 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £293.97 | 11.8% | £195.98 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £101.25 | 4.0% | £67.50 |
| Mayoral combined authority | £24.00 | 1.0% | £16.00 |
- Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,042 81.6%
- Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £40 1.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £294 11.8%
- Fire and rescue authority £101 4.0%
- Mayoral combined authority £24 1.0%
Wirral council tax history
Band D in Wirral has risen from £1,564.95 in 2016/17 to £2,500.59 in 2026/27 — 60% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 25.6%, the 125th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Wirral Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,500.59 | +5.0% | £1,667.06 |
| 2025/26 | £2,381.66 | +5.2% | £1,587.77 |
| 2024/25 | £2,263.44 | +4.9% | £1,508.96 |
| 2023/24 | £2,158.06 | +5.1% | £1,438.71 |
| 2022/23 | £2,052.58 | +3.1% | £1,368.39 |
| 2021/22 | £1,991.24 | +5.0% | £1,327.49 |
| 2020/21 | £1,895.58 | +4.0% | £1,263.72 |
| 2019/20 | £1,823.23 | +5.2% | £1,215.49 |
| 2018/19 | £1,733.72 | +6.0% | £1,155.81 |
| 2017/18 | £1,635.90 | +4.5% | £1,090.60 |
| 2016/17 | £1,564.95 | – | £1,043.30 |
Homes by council tax band in Wirral
Wirral has 152,700 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 62% 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 £1,667.06 a year (£166.71 a month over 10 instalments).
Wirral compared with North West
Wirral is the 19th cheapest of 35 councils in North West, where the average Band D across councils is £2,483.22 (£17.37 less than here). Cheapest: Wigan (£2,152.68); most expensive: Liverpool (£2,673.59).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Hyndburn | £2,465.98 | +3.6% |
| Fylde | £2,483.94 | +4% |
| 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% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band A bill in Wirral drops from £1,667.06 to £1,250.30.
- Council Tax Reduction: Wirral 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).
Wirral'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.
Wirral's Council Tax Reduction is capped at 50%
From 1 April 2026, Wirral's working-age Council Tax Reduction covers at most half of the bill. So every working-age claimant, even someone with no income at all, pays at least half. In a Band A home, where 61,400 of the borough's 152,700 homes sit, the most a working-age household can get is £833.53 off, leaving £833.53 a year to pay before any single-person discount.
The scheme is banded by weekly net income and household size:
- Pension-age claimants are assessed under the national rules and can still get up to 100%.
- If you are not on a low income yourself but share your home with adults who are, you may get Second Adult Rebate instead.
| Band | Reduction | Single person | Single, 1 dependant | Single, 2 dependants | Band A bill after reduction 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50% | £0 to £130 | £0 to £182 | £0 to £250 | £833.53 |
| 2 | 40% | £130.01 to £182 | £182.01 to £234 | £250.01 to £286 | £1,000.24 |
| 3 | 30% | £182.01 to £234 | £234.01 to £286 | £286.01 to £338 | £1,166.94 |
| 4 | 20% | £234.01 to £286 | £286.01 to £338 | £338.01 to £390 | £1,333.65 |
| 5 | Nil | Over £286 | Over £338 | Over £390 | £1,667.06 |
Local discounts: terminal illness and care leavers
Since 1 April 2026, Wirral has given a discount of up to 100% where the bill payer, their partner or a family member living with them, including a child, has a terminal illness. You apply by uploading the SR1 medical form. The discount runs from the date the SR1 was signed and ends two months after the person dies, at the latest.
Young people leaving Wirral Council care can get up to 100% off until they turn 25. The exact amount depends on who else lives with them.
Empty homes, second homes and paying
Wirral approved a 100% second homes premium on 21 February 2024, and it started on 1 April 2025. A furnished home with no resident now pays £5,001.18 at Band D. Empty, unfurnished homes pay 200% after a year, 300% after five and 400% after ten. The premium stays with the property, so buying or renting a long-term empty home that you leave empty means you pay it too.
Direct debits can be taken on the 5th, 12th, 20th or 28th of the month, over 10 or 12 instalments. Your first instalment is always at least 10 working days after the council sends the bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Wirral?
£2,500.59 a year in 2026/27, or £250.06 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Wirral?
Band A: 61,400 of 152,700 homes (40%). A Band A bill is £1,667.06 in 2026/27.
How much has Wirral council tax gone up?
5% this year, from £2,381.66 to £2,500.59 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 60%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Wirral?
Council (incl. earlier adult social care) £2,041.72; Adult social care precept: 2026/27 increase £39.65; Police and crime commissioner £293.97; Fire and rescue authority £101.25; Mayoral combined authority £24.00 (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 most Council Tax Reduction I can get in Wirral?
Working-age claimants can get up to 50% off from 1 April 2026, depending on weekly income and household size. Pension-age claimants can get up to 100%.
Is there a council tax discount for terminal illness in Wirral?
Yes. Since 1 April 2026, Wirral has offered up to 100% off if someone in the household has a terminal illness confirmed on an SR1 form.
Which direct debit dates does Wirral offer?
The 5th, 12th, 20th or 28th of the month, over 10 or 12 monthly instalments.
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)
- Wirral Council – Council Tax Reduction for working age people
- Wirral Council – Terminal illness Council Tax discount
- Wirral Council – Other Council Tax discounts (care leavers)
- Wirral Council – Unoccupied and furnished properties and second homes
- Wirral Council – Long term empty property premium
- Wirral Council – Pay Council Tax