How do I find my exact council tax band?

Use the official VOA council tax band lookup on GOV.UK by address. We show your billing authority and how the bands compare; the VOA holds the definitive band.

How do the bands compare?

Bands are set as fixed ratios of Band D (Local Government Finance Act 1992): Band A pays about two-thirds of Band D, Band H pays double. Your council sets the actual Band D amount each year.

Can I challenge my council tax band?

Yes — you can ask the VOA to review it if it looks out of line with similar neighbouring homes. Be aware a review can move your neighbours’ bands too, up or down.

Do I pay more on a second or empty home?

Often yes — from April 2025 most English councils charge up to a 100% second-home premium, and empty-home premiums escalate over time.

Free tool — VOA bands

Council tax band checker

Find your billing authority and see how council tax bands A–H compare. The official VOA lookup holds the definitive band for your address.

Our take

The council tax band is a bill you inherit, so find it before you offer

This tool finds the billing authority for a postcode and shows how bands A to H compare, while the definitive band for a particular address is held by the Valuation Office Agency.

In England bands rest on 1991 values, so a band says little about today’s price, and the usual mistake is to compare two homes’ bills without noticing that different councils charge very different amounts for the same band.

Look the address up on the VOA’s own service, check a few neighbours’ bands for comparison, and put the bill in your monthly budget from the day you complete.

If you are buying a second home or an empty property, ask the council about premiums, because English councils can now charge extra on both.

Our opinion, based on the official sources named above: general guidance, not regulated 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

Council tax bands — the honest version

How do I find my exact council tax band?: Use the official VOA council tax band lookup on GOV.UK by address. We show your billing authority and how the bands compare; the VOA holds the definitive band.
How do the bands compare?: Bands are set as fixed ratios of Band D (Local Government Finance Act 1992): Band A pays about two-thirds of Band D, Band H pays double. Your council sets the actual Band D amount each year.
Can I challenge my council tax band?: Yes — you can ask the VOA to review it if it looks out of line with similar neighbouring homes. Be aware a review can move your neighbours’ bands too, up or down.
Do I pay more on a second or empty home?: Often yes — from April 2025 most English councils charge up to a 100% second-home premium, and empty-home premiums escalate over time.

Council tax band checker

The council tax band is a bill you inherit, so find it before you offer

Council tax bands — the honest version

Get the full picture before you offer