Council Tax levels: April 2025 to March 2026
Details of the levels of average band D council tax by local authority for April 2025 to March 2026.
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In this page
Introduction
Council tax is a tax on domestic property set by local authorities in order to collect sufficient revenue to meet their demand. It is calculated based on the council tax band assigned to each dwelling in each local authority which are each assigned to one of nine valuation bands: A to I.
This release provides details of the levels of average band D and average per dwelling council tax in Welsh local authorities for 2025-26 and changes when compared to 2024-25.
Council tax can be measured in ‘band D’ or in ‘per dwelling’ terms. Band D has historically been used as the standard for comparing council tax levels between and across local authorities. This measure is not affected by the varying distribution of properties in bands that can be found across authorities. The ‘per dwelling’ calculation uses chargeable dwelling figures which gives an indication of the average amount of council tax that is actually paid per household.
This report only deals with financial years, for example, April 2025 to March 2026. These will be displayed as 2025-26.
The data are provided on the Budget Requirement (BR) returns submitted by all 22 county councils and 4 Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales
Detailed information over time and at a local authority level is published in the associated data tables and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Main points
Average band D council tax in Wales for 2025-26 is £2,170. This includes £1,747 for county councils, £374 for police and £50 for community councils. Band D figures for billing authorities, including police and community councils, vary from £1,926 in Cardiff to £2,464 in Merthyr Tydfil.
County council increases in band D council tax for 2025-26 average £119 or 7.1% over the previous year. Police increases average £26 or 7.5%. These increases combine to produce an average band D rise of £145 or 7.2%.
Pembrokeshire has the largest overall band D percentage increase of 9.2%. Bridgend has the smallest overall band D percentage increase of 5.0%.
Dyfed Powys Police have the largest band D increase of 8.6%. North Wales Police have the smallest band D increase of 6.4%.
The total budget requirement for 2025-26 is £9.4 billion, of which £2.8 billion (30%) is income from council tax.
Average band D council tax over time
Band D council tax is the standard measure of council tax (all other bands are set as a proportion of the Band D) and is the council tax payable on a Band D dwelling occupied as a main residence by at least two adults.
Figure 1: Average band D council tax, 1993-94 to 2025-26
Description of Figure 1: Bar chart showing the average band D figure for Wales increasing over time from £328 in 1993-94 to £2,170 in 2025-26.
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on the average Band D council tax can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Figure 2: Year-on-year change in average band D council tax, 1994-95 to 2025-26
Description of Figure 5: Bar chart showing the percentage change in average band D council tax in Wales over time. It shows that the 7.2% increase in 2025-26 is the second largest increase since 2003-04.
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on the change in levels of band D council tax over time can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Average band D council tax by authority
The council tax bill is made up of several elements. In addition to the council tax for the county council, it includes council tax that is collected for the police & crime commissioner and community council. The area average Band D council tax will reflect these amounts.
Figure 3: Average band D council tax, 2025-26
Description of Figure 3: Bar chart showing the average band D council tax by billing authority. Merthyr Tydfil has the largest average band D council tax (£2,464) whilst Cardiff has the smallest average band D council tax (£1,926).
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on the different elements of band D council tax can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Figure 4: Change in average band D council tax, 2025-26
Description of Figure 4: Bar chart showing the average band D change in council tax compared to the previous year. The average increase for Wales is £145, made up of £119 for county councils and £26 for police.
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on the changes in band D council tax can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
The average council tax per dwelling figure is a useful measure for comparing the amount of council tax paid by the average taxpayer in each local authority. Different local authorities often have very different tax bases because of the types of dwellings in their area. This means that the average council tax per dwelling is a better measure of how much council tax is paid on each dwelling across a local authority compared to the band D figure.
Figure 5: Difference in average council tax per dwelling compared with the Welsh average, by billing authority, 2025-26
Description of Figure 5: Bar chart showing the differences in average council tax per dwelling by billing authority compared with the Wales average in 2025-26. Caerphilly's average council tax per dwelling is £419 less than the Welsh average and Monmouthshire is £590 more.
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on council tax per dwelling can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Funding of budget requirement
Budget requirement is the amount of expenditure in a local authority that is funded by council tax and general support from central government. It includes funding from revenue support grant, police grant and redistributed non-domestic rates.
Figure 6: Funding of Counties Budget Requirement, 2025-26
Description of Figure 6: Bar chart showing the funding of budget requirement for counties. Council tax provides 27% of the overall funding of budget requirement.
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on the budget requirement calculation can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Figure 7: Funding of Police Budget Requirement, 2025-26
Description of Figure 7: Bar chart showing the funding of budget requirement for police. Council tax provides 50% of the overall funding of budget requirement.
Source: Welsh Government budget requirement returns
More data on the police budget requirement calculation can be found in the associated data tables (MS Excel) and on the StatsWales website (Levels).
Glossary
Data sources
The main sources of information on council tax levels in Wales are the budget requirement (BR) returns. Wales collect 100% of returns from all twenty-two county councils and four police and crime commissioners.
Background
County and county borough councils are known as billing authorities, i.e. they collect council tax on behalf of the other charging authorities, namely police authorities and local community councils.
Budget requirement is gross revenue expenditure less that funded by all non-police specific government grants and that expenditure funded from local authority reserves. It is the amount of expenditure which is supported by the council tax and general support from central government, i.e. revenue support grant, police grant and redistributed non-domestic rates.
Prior to 2013-14, council tax benefit grants were provided by the Department of Work and Pensions but reforms have meant that authorities in Wales are now funded from the Welsh Government through additional revenue support grant (and also council tax reduction scheme grant in 2013-14). As a result, budget requirement for 2013-14 and beyond will be higher by these amounts and not consistent with previous years.
Council tax bands and charges
Council tax bands in Wales were determined by the Welsh Government based on property values in April 2003.
The amount of council tax a household pays depends on the valuation of the property. Each property has been valued and placed in one of nine council tax bands by the Valuation Office Agency. Discounts and exemptions are available to households depending on circumstances.
The valuation banding is based on the market value of the property as at 1 April 2003, not the current value. The valuation bands for Wales are as follows:
Valuation band and value of the property
Band A
Up to £44,000
Band B
£44,001 to £65,000
Band C
£65,001 to £91,000
Band D
£91,001 to £123,000
Band E
£123,001 to £162,000
Band F
£162,001 to £223,000
Band G
£223,001 to £324,000
Band H
£324,001 to £424,000
Band I
Over £424,000
Ratio to band D
Band and ratio
- A: six ninths
- B: seven ninths
- C: eight ninths
- D: one
- E: eleven ninths
- F: thirteen ninths
- G: fifteen ninths
- H: two
- I: twenty one ninths
Quality and methodology information
Official statistics status
All official statistics should show the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority).
These are accredited official statistics. They were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) in March 2019. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
It is Welsh Government’s responsibility to maintain compliance with the standards expected of accreditation. If we become concerned about whether these statistics are still meeting the appropriate standards, we will discuss any concerns with OSR promptly. Accreditation can be cancelled or suspended at any point when the highest standards are not maintained, and reinstated when standards are restored.
Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics
Our statistical practice is regulated by the OSR. OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
All of our statistics are produced and published in accordance with a number of statements and protocols to enhance trustworthiness, quality and value. These are set out in the Welsh Government’s Statement of Compliance.
These accredited official statistics (OSR) demonstrate the standards expected around trustworthiness, quality and public value in the following ways.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
Trustworthiness
The main source of information on local authority council tax collection is the budget requirement (BR) return.
We collect 100% of returns from all twenty-two county councils and four police and crime commissioners. The collection is a 100% survey and as such no estimation of the figures is calculated, and hence there is no sampling error.
The data collection is carried out in February and March. The data is normally published in March, this allows time to collect, collate and validate the data.
In tables where figures have been rounded to the nearest final digit there may be an apparent discrepancy between the sum of the constituent items and the total as shown.
The statistics that are collected adhere to recognised professional standards. Specifically, the finance data is required under legislation and also must adhere to CIPFA accounting procedures. However, further guidelines are also available on the interpretation of these standards to ensure consistency.
Adhering to the professional code (CIPFA’s SeRCOP) has meant that changes over time have been minimal. Where there have been time series which are not comparable from the start of the time series to the end this will be shown clearly in the outputs. Where advance warning is known of future changes these will be pre-announced in accordance with Welsh Government arrangements.
The existence of a professional code and our adherence to it provides assurance that the data are consistent across domains, such as local authorities.
The Welsh local government finance statistics are published in an accessible, orderly, pre-announced manner on the Welsh Government website at 9:30am on the day of publication. All releases are available to download for free.
All outputs adhere to the Code of Practice by pre-announcing the data of publication through the upcoming calendar web pages.
Access to the data during processing is restricted to those involved in the production of the statistics, quality assurance and for operational purposes.
Pre-release recipient information can be found on the Welsh Government website.
Quality
The published figures are compiled by professional analysts using the latest available data and applying methods using their professional judgement and analytical skillset.
Statistics published by Welsh Government adhere to the Statistical Quality Management Strategy which supplements the Quality pillar of the Code of Practice for Statistics and the European Statistical System principles of quality for statistical outputs.
When data is received through the returns, validation checks are performed by Welsh Government statisticians and queries referred to local authorities where necessary. The statistical release is then drafted and quality assured by senior statisticians and published in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority).
The data collection contains multiple validation checks at source to ensure the best quality data is provided. This includes year-on-year tolerance checks and arithmetic consistency checks.
Once we receive the data, it goes through further validation and verification checks, for example:
- spend per head by local authority
- extra arithmetic consistency checks
- cross checks with other relevant data collections
- thorough tolerance checks
- outturn comparison with budgets
- cross checks with data from other government departments
- verification that data outside of tolerances are correct
More detailed guidance on the steps taken to ensure quality can be found in the Local government finance statistics: quality report.
Value
The statistics are important and have a number of uses, for example: advice to Ministers; local government finance revenue settlement calculations; unitary authority comparisons and benchmarking; expenditure in Wales compared to other countries; informing the debate in the Senedd and beyond; assisting in research in public expenditure issues; economic analysis.
More detailed data are also available at the same time on the StatsWales website (Levels) and this can be manipulated online or downloaded into spreadsheets.
Data on council tax are also available for England (gov.uk) and Scotland (Scottish Government). The council tax system does not apply to Northern Ireland.
Properties in Wales were revalued based on their market value as of April 1, 2003. This process introduced a new council tax band and changed the levels of the existing bands. Band D council tax should not be compared between countries due to the different banding systems used in each country.
We aim to use Plain English in our outputs and all outputs adhere to the Welsh Government accessibility policy.
Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFG)
The Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act puts in place seven wellbeing goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(1) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators (“national indicators”) that must be applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before Senedd Cymru. Under section 10(8) of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, where the Welsh Ministers revise the national indicators, they must as soon as reasonably practicable (a) publish the indicators as revised and (b) lay a copy of them before the Senedd. These national indicators were laid before the Senedd in 2021. The indicators laid on 14 December 2021 replace the set laid on 16 March 2016.
Information on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the wellbeing goals and associated technical information is available in the Wellbeing of Wales report.
Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
The statistics included in this release could also provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local wellbeing assessments and local wellbeing plans.
Further details
A full detailed breakdown over time of the data contained in this release is available on our StatsWales website (Levels).
We want your feedback
If you have any feedback on this statistical release especially on the change from PDF to HTML and associated data tables then please contact us using the email address below.
