Council tax band checker
Type an address to see a home's council tax band, the council that bills it and this year's charge, plus what Budget 2026 means for it.
Pick your home from the list to see its band.
What Budget 2026 means for council tax
The 28 October Budget confirmed a High Value Council Tax Surcharge for homes in England: a yearly charge on top of council tax for homes worth £2 million or more in 2026, starting in April 2028. Homeowners pay it, not tenants. Council tax bands themselves aren't changing.
| Home's value in 2026 | Surcharge a year |
|---|---|
| £2m to £2.5m | £2,500 |
| £2.5m to £3.5m | £3,500 |
| £3.5m to £5m | £5,000 |
| £5m and above | £7,500 |
- Deferral. A deferral scheme covers owners with a household income of £35,000 or less, capital savings of £16,000 or less, or a household member who meets disability criteria. Payment is delayed until the home changes hands, with interest.
- Empty homes. A premium of 100% will be charged on properties left substantially unfurnished and unoccupied for 12 months or more.
- Valuation. Homes are valued using sales of comparable homes around April 2026. Care homes, registered social housing and working farmhouses will be among the exemptions.
- Scotland and Wales. The surcharge is for England only.
Source: High Value Council Tax Surcharge, GOV.UK, updated 28 October 2026.
How to challenge a council tax band
- Check the homes around it. Use the checker above to find up to 5 similar homes (same type, size, age and style) in a lower band.
- See which route applies. There's a legal right to challenge if you've paid council tax on the home for less than 6 months, or if the band changed in the last 6 months. Otherwise you ask for a band review.
- Send it to the right place. In England and Wales that's the Valuation Office Agency. In Scotland it's the assessor at the local Valuation Joint Board or council.
- Keep paying. Council tax must still be paid while a challenge is looked at.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my council tax band?
Type your address or postcode above and pick your home from the list. We show the band the Valuation Office Agency has on record for the home, the council that bills it and that council's charge for the band this year.
How is a council tax band worked out?
A band is based on what the home would have sold for on 1 April 1991 in England and Scotland, or on 1 April 2003 in Wales, not on what it is worth today. England and Scotland have bands A to H. Wales has bands A to I.
What is the High Value Council Tax Surcharge?
A new yearly charge on homes in England worth £2 million or more in 2026, confirmed at Budget 2026. It starts in April 2028 and is paid on top of council tax: £2,500 a year for homes worth £2 million to £2.5 million, £3,500 for £2.5 million to £3.5 million, £5,000 for £3.5 million to £5 million and £7,500 for £5 million or more.
Who pays the surcharge, the owner or the tenant?
The owner. The government says homeowners, rather than occupiers, will be liable for the surcharge, and they will carry on paying their council tax alongside it.
Can the surcharge be deferred?
There will be a deferral scheme for owners with a household income of £35,000 or less, capital savings of £16,000 or less, or a household member who meets disability criteria. Deferring delays payment until the home changes hands, with interest added, and the owner can settle early at any time.
What about empty homes?
The government says a premium of 100% will be charged on properties left substantially unfurnished and unoccupied for 12 months or more.
Does the surcharge apply in Scotland or Wales?
No. The High Value Council Tax Surcharge is for homes in England only.
Can I challenge a council tax band?
Yes. In England and Wales you ask the Valuation Office Agency. You have a legal right to challenge if you have been paying council tax on the home for less than 6 months, or if your band changed in the last 6 months. Otherwise you can ask for a band review, with up to 5 similar homes nearby in a lower band. Keep paying your council tax while the challenge is looked at. In Scotland you ask your local assessor instead.
Why might a bill differ from the charge shown?
We show the council's charge for the band. A bill can be lower with a discount, such as the 25% single person discount, or an exemption, and parish charges can make it slightly higher or lower in some areas.
Can I get council tax bands through an API?
Yes. The Homedata Council Tax API returns the band, billing authority and this year's charge for a UPRN in Great Britain, the same data this checker uses.
Bands come from the Valuation Office Agency's public council tax list and Scottish assessors, and charges from each council's published figures for this year. We show only the address and band, as the public list does. Related: How much is my council tax?