buying
Council tax bands A to H explained: how your band is set, how to check it and how to challenge it
Council tax bands explained for England, Wales and Scotland: the 1991 and 2003 value ranges, how to check your band and how to challenge it.
- 3 min read
- Last reviewed 4 November 2026
- By Your Property Check team
Key answer
Part 1 of 6
What the bands are
General information, not advice. Council tax bands group homes by value so that bigger-value homes pay more. GOV.UK says the band is based on the price the property would have sold for on the open market on 1 April 1991 in England and 1 April 2003 in Wales, not on today's price. Your local council sets the rates and collects the payments, while the Valuation Office assesses which band a home is in. Scotland has its own list, kept by the Scottish Assessors. We read the GOV.UK pages named below on 4 November 2026.
Part 2 of 6
The bands and value ranges
| Band | England value range (1 April 1991) | Ratio to Band D (England) | Wales value range (1 April 2003) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | up to £40,000 | 6/9 | up to £44,000 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | 7/9 | £44,001 to £65,000 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | 8/9 | £65,001 to £91,000 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | 9/9 | £91,001 to £123,000 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | 11/9 | £123,001 to £162,000 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | 13/9 | £162,001 to £223,000 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | 15/9 | £223,001 to £324,000 |
| H | more than £320,000 | 18/9 | £324,001 to £424,000 |
| I | No Band I in England | Not applicable | more than £424,000 |
The ratio column shows how each English band compares with Band D in the statutory scale, which our code follows. A Band H bill is twice a Band D bill in the same council area, and a Band A bill is two thirds of it. The actual charge in pounds depends on the rate your council sets. Scotland's value ranges are not shown here because we could not read the Scottish Assessors' page, so check them there.
Part 3 of 6
How to find your band
GOV.UK has a service to look up the band for a home in England or Wales by address or postcode. For Scotland, use the Scottish Assessors Association website. Our council tax band checker is a quick way to start.
Part 4 of 6
Why a band changes
Most homes keep the same band for decades. GOV.UK says a band can change without a sale in some situations, such as an extension with a self-contained annexe. It also says a property that has grown since it was assessed may move up a band when it is next sold. Any increase applies from the date the valuation list is altered. You do not need to report a sale, as the information comes from the buyer's solicitor through the Stamp Duty Land Tax Office.
A band can also be removed in limited circumstances. GOV.UK says that for an unoccupied property that is beyond repair or undergoing major works, you can apply to have the band deleted. Our empty property checklist covers what to check if your home is empty.
The GOV.UK pages we read do not describe a general revaluation of English bands, so we do not claim one is planned. They describe assessments that happen when a property changes, is newly built or converted, or is reviewed on request.
Part 5 of 6
How to challenge a band
GOV.UK says you can challenge your band if you think it is wrong. There are two routes:
- A proposal, if you have a legal right to challenge. GOV.UK has a separate page on when that applies.
- A review, if you think the band is wrong but have no legal right to a proposal.
You will need evidence to support your challenge. For homes in England and Wales you submit it to the Valuation Office, online or by email, and the Valuation Office offers extra support if you cannot use the online service. In Scotland you submit to the assessor at your local Valuation Joint Board or council. Before you start, check the band of similar homes nearby, because the evidence matters more than the feeling that a band is high.
Part 6 of 6
Buying or selling: why it matters
Council tax is a running cost that a buyer should check before offering, and the band sits on the property, not the owner. If you are buying, look up the band before you commit, and ask whether the current owner has altered the property. Our guide to checking a house before you buy lists the other checks to run alongside it.
This page is general information, not advice.
Our take
Check the band before you make an offer
A band is fixed to a 1991 value in England and a 2003 value in Wales, so it can look odd next to today's prices. The common mistake is to treat council tax as an afterthought, when it is a running cost that stays with the property, not the owner. Look it up, and ask whether the home has been altered.
Start with our council tax band checker, then run a free property check on the address, which shows council tax alongside sold prices, EPC, crime, flood and planning. For a fuller view before you offer, OfferCheck is a plain-English risk report with every figure sourced.
Our opinion, drawn from the facts on this page: not advice and not a forecast. We earn from OfferCheck reports and from introducing sellers to cash buyers, so weigh it with that in mind (see our disclosure). We are not authorised or regulated by the FCA.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
What are the council tax bands?
How do I find my council tax band?
How do I challenge my council tax band?
Why did my council tax band change?
Is there a Band I?
Where this comes from
Sources
- GOV.UK: Council Tax bands
- GOV.UK: How domestic properties are assessed for Council Tax bands
- GOV.UK: Challenge your Council Tax band
Last reviewed 4 November 2026 by the Your Property Check team. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, speak to a conveyancing solicitor or another qualified professional.