Worcester Council Tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in Worcester is £2,405.81 for 2026/27, up 7.7% (£171.88) on last year. That is £14.29 above the England average of £2,391.52 — the 121st lowest of 296 councils. Most homes here are in Band B (32%), so the average bill per home is about £2,105.
Updated 2026-10-03 · Shire district, West Midlands · Official England government statistics
Worcester council tax bands 2026/27
| Band | Property value (1991) | Annual | 10 instalments | 12 instalments | Living alone (−25%) | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,603.87 | £160.39 | £133.66 | £1,202.91 | 9,090 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,871.19 | £187.12 | £155.93 | £1,403.39 | 15,610 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,138.50 | £213.85 | £178.21 | £1,603.87 | 12,080 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,405.81 | £240.58 | £200.48 | £1,804.36 | 5,690 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,940.43 | £294.04 | £245.04 | £2,205.33 | 3,590 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,475.06 | £347.51 | £289.59 | £2,606.29 | 1,620 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,009.68 | £400.97 | £334.14 | £3,007.26 | 450 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £4,811.62 | £481.16 | £400.97 | £3,608.72 | 10 |
- Worcester
- England average
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Where your Worcester council tax goes
Your bill is collected by Worcester but shared between 5 bodies. Of the £2,405.81 Band D charge, £226.01 (9%) stays with the council itself; the rest pays for county council, police and crime commissioner, fire and rescue authority, parish/town council.
| Body | Band D | Share | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| District council | £226.01 | 9.4% | £175.79 |
| County council (incl. adult social care) | £1,760.80 | 73.2% | £1,369.51 |
| Police and crime commissioner | £306.50 | 12.7% | £238.39 |
| Fire and rescue authority | £107.22 | 4.5% | £83.39 |
| Parish/town council (average) | £5.28 | 0.2% | £4.11 |
- District council £226 9.4%
- County council (incl. adult social care) £1,761 73.2%
- Police and crime commissioner £307 12.7%
- Fire and rescue authority £107 4.5%
- Parish/town council (average) £5 0.2%
The parish or community council figure is an average across Worcester; your own bill is higher or lower depending on which parish you live in, and is shown on your bill.
Worcester council tax history
Band D in Worcester has risen from £1,564.40 in 2016/17 to £2,405.81 in 2026/27 — 54% in 10 years. Over the last five years it rose 28.5%, the 23rd biggest increase of 296 councils in England.
- Worcester Band D
| Year | Band D | Change | Band B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £2,405.81 | +7.7% | £1,871.19 |
| 2025/26 | £2,233.93 | +4.8% | £1,737.50 |
| 2024/25 | £2,131.62 | +4.7% | £1,657.93 |
| 2023/24 | £2,036.31 | +4.9% | £1,583.80 |
| 2022/23 | £1,941.35 | +3.7% | £1,509.94 |
| 2021/22 | £1,872.22 | +3.0% | £1,456.17 |
| 2020/21 | £1,817.76 | +3.7% | £1,413.81 |
| 2019/20 | £1,752.27 | +4.5% | £1,362.88 |
| 2018/19 | £1,676.26 | +4.5% | £1,303.76 |
| 2017/18 | £1,604.04 | +2.5% | £1,247.59 |
| 2016/17 | £1,564.40 | – | £1,216.76 |
Homes by council tax band in Worcester
Worcester has 48,140 homes on the valuation list (31 March 2026). 51% 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 B, which costs £1,871.19 a year (£187.12 a month over 10 instalments).
Worcester compared with West Midlands
Worcester is the 16th cheapest of 30 councils in West Midlands, where the average Band D across councils is £2,399.67 (£6.14 less than here). Cheapest: Dudley (£2,144.84); most expensive: Walsall (£2,627.48).
| Council | Band D 2026/27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | £2,362.90 | +5.2% |
| Wychavon | £2,373.19 | +7.8% |
| Cannock Chase | £2,375.83 | +4.1% |
| Worcester | £2,405.81 | +7.7% |
| Malvern Hills | £2,450.92 | +7.5% |
| Warwick | £2,461.55 | +4.5% |
| Redditch | £2,462.95 | +7.6% |
Discounts and reductions
- Living alone: 25% off — a Band B bill in Worcester drops from £1,871.19 to £1,403.39.
- Council Tax Reduction: Worcester 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).
Worcester's 7.7% 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.
Why Worcester bills rose 7.7%
Worcester's 7.7% rise is driven almost entirely by Worcestershire County Council. The county raised its own charge by 8.98%, nearly double the usual 4.99% limit, under the government's Exceptional Financial Support arrangements for councils facing unmanageable pressures. The county says the extra above 4.99% raises £14.4 million, alongside a £59.9 million capitalisation directive, to cover rising costs of adults' and children's social care and home-to-school transport. Its share of a Worcester Band D bill is £1,760.80, about 73% of the total.
Worcester City Council's own Band D share is just £226.01, up £6.56 on last year. The city council says this is about 1.8p a day, to keep up with inflation. It plans to spend £28.86 million on services in 2026/27, including opening Scala Worcester, the new arts centre in Angel Place, finishing the crematorium refurbishment with electric cremators, and moving more than 40 council vehicles from diesel to HVO fuel.
Most of the city is unparished. Its figures put the typical Band D bill at £2,400.53, or £46.16 a week. Homes in the Warndon and St Peter's parishes pay a small parish precept on top.
Empty homes: rules changed in April 2026
From 1 April 2026, Worcester charges the long-term empty premium after 12 months instead of two years. A home that becomes empty and unfurnished gets 50% off for its first two months, then pays the full charge.
- Band B is shown because it is Worcester's most common band (15,610 homes).
- A newly built home that is empty and unfurnished gets 100% off for up to three months.
- A home needing major structural repairs can get 100% off for up to 12 months.
- Second homes have paid a 100% premium (200% in total) since 1 April 2025.
| How long empty and unfurnished | Charge | Band B bill 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2 months | 50% | £935.59 |
| 2 to 12 months | 100% | £1,871.19 |
| Over 12 months | 200% | £3,742.37 |
| Over 5 years | 300% | £5,613.56 |
| Over 10 years | 400% | £7,484.74 |
Paying and getting help
Worcester shares its revenues and benefits service with the other South Worcestershire councils, and post goes to a PO Box in Pershore. Direct debits can be taken on the 1st, 10th, 15th or 25th of the month, normally over 10 instalments from April to January. PayPoint takes cash only, up to £200 per transaction. Council Tax Support usually cannot be backdated, so the council advises claiming straight away. If you are not on a low income but share your home with adults who are, you may get Second Adult Rebate.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Band D council tax in Worcester?
£2,405.81 a year in 2026/27, or £240.58 a month over 10 instalments. This includes police, fire and average parish precepts.
What council tax band are most homes in Worcester?
Band B: 15,610 of 48,140 homes (32%). A Band B bill is £1,871.19 in 2026/27.
How much has Worcester council tax gone up?
7.7% this year, from £2,233.93 to £2,405.81 at Band D. Since 2016/17 it has risen 54%.
Who gets the council tax I pay in Worcester?
District council £226.01; County council (incl. adult social care) £1,760.80; Police and crime commissioner £306.50; Fire and rescue authority £107.22; Parish/town council (average) £5.28 (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.
Why did Worcestershire County Council raise council tax by 8.98%?
It is receiving Exceptional Financial Support from the government. The extra above 4.99% raises about £14.4 million towards social care and home-to-school transport costs.
How much of my Worcester bill goes to the city council?
£226.01 at Band D in 2026/27, about 9% of the total. Most goes to Worcestershire County Council.
Is there a discount on an empty home in Worcester?
50% for the first two months while it is empty and unfurnished. New-build homes get 100% off for up to three months. From 1 April 2026 the premium starts after 12 months empty.
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)
- Worcester City Council – What your Council Tax pays for 2026-27
- Worcester City Council – Council Tax discounts and premiums
- Worcester City Council – Pay my council tax
- Worcester City Council – Council Tax Support and Housing Benefit
- Worcestershire County Council – Council Tax and budgets