Woking Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Woking is £2,598.04 for 2026/27, up 4.7% (£116.01) on last year. That is £206.52 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 260th lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band D (28%), so the average bill per home is about £2,915.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, South East · Official England government statistics
Woking council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,732.03 | £173.20 | £144.34 | £1,299.02 | 340 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,020.70 | £202.07 | £168.39 | £1,515.52 | 3,550 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,309.37 | £230.94 | £192.45 | £1,732.03 | 11,500 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,598.04 | £259.80 | £216.50 | £1,948.53 | 12,730 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,175.38 | £317.54 | £264.62 | £2,381.54 | 6,340 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,752.72 | £375.27 | £312.73 | £2,814.54 | 4,260 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,330.07 | £433.01 | £360.84 | £3,247.55 | 5,290 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £5,196.08 | £519.61 | £433.01 | £3,897.06 | 830 |
- Woking
- England average
Your result is ready
Where your Woking council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Woking but shared between 3 bodies. Of the £2,598.04 Band D charge, £307.05 (12%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £307.05 | 11.8% | £307.05 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,938.42 | 74.6% | £1,938.42 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £352.57 | 13.6% | £352.57 |
- District council £307 11.8%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,938 74.6%
- Police and crime commissioner £353 13.6%
Woking council tax history
Band D in Woking has risen from £1,710.23 in 2016/17 to £2,598.04 in 2026/27 — 52% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 24.6%, the 168th biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Woking Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,598.04 | +4.7% | £2,598.04 |
| 2025/26 | £2,482.03 | +4.7% | £2,482.03 |
| 2024/25 | £2,371.60 | +5.5% | £2,371.60 |
| 2023/24 | £2,248.77 | +3.3% | £2,248.77 |
| 2022/23 | £2,177.42 | +4.4% | £2,177.42 |
| 2021/22 | £2,085.11 | +2.8% | £2,085.11 |
| 2020/21 | £2,027.49 | +3.7% | £2,027.49 |
| 2019/20 | £1,954.53 | +3.9% | £1,954.53 |
| 2018/19 | £1,881.32 | +5.5% | £1,881.32 |
| 2017/18 | £1,782.83 | +4.2% | £1,782.83 |
| 2016/17 | £1,710.23 | – | £1,710.23 |
Homes by council tax band in Woking
Woking has 44,840 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 9% 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 D, which costs £2,598.04 a year (£259.80 a month over 10 instalments).
Woking compared with South East
Woking is the 55th cheapest of 64 councils in South East, where the average Band D across councils is £2,475.45 (£122.59 less than here). Cheapest: Windsor and Maidenhead (£1,952.62); most expensive: Lewes (£2,756.17).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey Heath | £2,585.16 | +4.8% |
| Tandridge | £2,594.85 | +5% |
| South Oxfordshire | £2,597.57 | +5% |
| Woking | £2,598.04 | +4.7% |
| Waverley | £2,604.87 | +4.9% |
| Reading | £2,612.77 | +5.1% |
| Isle of Wight | £2,625.79 | +5.3% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band D bill in Woking drops from £2,598.04 to £1,948.53.
- Council Tax Reduction: Woking 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).
Woking's 4.7% 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.
Woking's last year as a separate council
2026/27 is the last year Woking Borough Council will set council tax. From 1 April 2027, Surrey's 12 councils are replaced by two unitary authorities. Woking joins Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath and Waverley in West Surrey Council, which also takes over Surrey County Council's services in that area. A shadow authority is preparing for the change. Until then the existing councils carry on as normal, and Woking still collects your bill.
Only three bodies share a Woking bill, because Surrey's fire service is run by the county council and so has no separate precept. Surrey County Council takes £1,938.42 of the £2,598.04 Band D charge, the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner £352.57, and Woking Borough Council £307.05. Woking has no parish councils, so every home in a band pays the same.
Where the borough share goes: debt costs dwarf services
Woking's own figures show how much its debt weighs on the budget. Its "business as usual" budget for local services in 2026/27 is £22 million, paid for by £13.8 million of council tax, £3.4 million of business rates and £4.7 million of government grant. Its total budget, including debt costs, commercial property income and change management, is £172.1 million. Of that, £157.1 million sits under corporate resources and financing costs, compared with £0.4 million in the day-to-day budget.
Woking is already under government Best Value intervention, with Commissioners in place. The Surrey reorganisation hub says an illustrative financial baseline shows "specific challenges in parts of West Surrey linked to historic debt", and that a ministerial letter in February 2026 committed the government to keep exploring further debt support for Woking. It also says no decision has yet been taken on council tax levels for the new councils from April 2027. In July 2026 the West Surrey shadow authority asked the government to rename the new council West Surrey and South Middlesex Council.
Council Tax Support, premiums and paying
Working-age claimants cannot get Council Tax Support if they and their partner have more than £10,000 in savings. The limit for pensioners is £16,000. Claims can be backdated up to six months if you had a good reason for claiming late, such as a hospital stay, and you can prove it. You have one month to ask for a decision to be looked at again, and after that you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England.
An empty home can get a discount for up to one month. After that you pay the normal instalments until it has been empty for a year. Then a 100% premium applies, rising to 200% after five years and 300% after ten. Second homes pay a 100% premium, including furnished homes with a planning restriction on occupation. At Band D, the most common band here (12,730 homes), a second home costs £5,196.08 a year. Direct debits can be taken on the 1st, 10th or 20th of the month.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Woking?
£2,598.04 a year in 2026/27, or £259.80 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Woking?
Band D: 12,730 of 44,840 homes (28%). A Band D bill is £2,598.04 in 2026/27.
How much has Woking council tax gone up?
4.7% this year, from £2,482.03 to £2,598.04 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 52%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Woking?
District council £307.05; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,938.42; Police and crime commissioner £352.57 (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.
Will Woking council tax change when West Surrey Council starts?
From 1 April 2027 West Surrey Council will set and collect council tax for Woking, replacing both Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council. Woking still sets and collects the 2026/27 bill.
What is the savings limit for Council Tax Support in Woking?
Working-age claimants cannot claim with more than £10,000 in savings or investments (including a partner's). The limit for pensioners is £16,000.
Why is there no fire precept on Woking bills?
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service is part of Surrey County Council, so its cost is included in the county council's share of your bill.
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)
- Woking Borough Council – Council Tax bands and charges
- Woking Borough Council – How we spend your Council Tax
- Woking Borough Council – Council Tax Support
- Woking Borough Council – Empty properties and second homes premium
- Woking Borough Council – Pay your Council Tax
- Future Surrey – Frequently asked questions on local government reorganisation
- Future Surrey – West Surrey Council