North West | England | Unitary authority

Council Tax Bands in Cheshire West and Chester 2026/27

Band D 2026/27

£2,517.33

+£125.30 (+5.2%) vs 2025/26

Full band A to H council tax rates for Cheshire West and Chester from 1 April 2026.

Quick answer

Council tax bands in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27 run from £1,678.22 (Band A) to £5,034.66 (Band H), with the Band D reference rate set at £2,517.33 (up 5.2% on 2025/26). All eight bands (A to H) are fixed fractions of Band D; the full rate table with monthly figures is below.

Band A to H Rate Table - Cheshire West and Chester 2026/27

Band	1991 value range	Annual rate	Monthly (10 mths)	Monthly (12 mths)
ABand A	Up to £40,000	£1,678.22	£167.82	£139.85
BBand B	£40,001 to £52,000	£1,957.92	£195.79	£163.16
CBand C	£52,001 to £68,000	£2,237.63	£223.76	£186.47
DBand D	£68,001 to £88,000	£2,517.33	£251.73	£209.78
EBand E	£88,001 to £120,000	£3,076.74	£307.67	£256.40
FBand F	£120,001 to £160,000	£3,636.14	£363.61	£303.01
GBand G	£160,001 to £320,000	£4,195.55	£419.56	£349.63
HBand H	Over £320,000	£5,034.66	£503.47	£419.56

Source: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England: 2026 to 2027, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Accredited official statistics). Table 9 (area council tax by band) and Table 10 (local authority level data). Snapshot: 2026-27 tables, published 25 March 2026. Published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Monthly figures are the annual rate divided over the standard 10-instalment plan and the 12-month direct debit option.

What Makes Up the £2,517.33 Bill

A Band D bill in Cheshire West and Chester is not one charge. It is 3 separate charges set by 3 different bodies and collected together. The largest is Cheshire West and Chester at £2,121.80, which is 84% of the total. Of the billing authority's own share, £39.56 is the adult social care precept added for 2026/27 (2% of last year's Band D).

Charged by	Band D element	Share of bill
Cheshire West and Chester	£2,121.80	84.3%
Cheshire PCC	£295.44	11.7%
Cheshire Fire	£100.09	4.0%
Total Band D	£2,517.33	100%

Registry Record for Cheshire West and Chester

ONS code

E06000050

MHCLG E-code

E0604

Authority type

Unitary authority

Tax base 2026/27

132,129

Assumed collection rate

99.00%

Parishes in area

114

Parishes setting a precept

Band D rank in England

82nd highest of 296

Registry snapshot

25 March 2026

Cheshire West and Chester is a unitary authority in the North West. Its 2026/27 tax base for setting council tax is 132,129 Band D equivalent dwellings, calculated on an assumed collection rate of 99.00%. 92 of the 114 parish or town councils in the area set their own precept for 2026/27, so households in those parishes pay slightly more than the area figures shown here. Its Band D rate is 82nd highest of 296 in England, so see how Cheshire West and Chester compares with the cheapest and most expensive councils in the UK or the rest of the North West.

Year-on-Year Change

Band D 2025/26

£2,392.03

Band D 2026/27

£2,517.33

Annual increase

+£125.30 (+5.2%)

Cheshire West and Chester's Band D rate increased by £125.30 (5.2%) in 2026/27 compared with the previous year. The total bill is above 5%, but for most councils that reflects the separately-capped police, fire and (where relevant) mayoral or Greater London Authority precepts added on top of the billing authority's own increase, which is itself limited to 5% before a local referendum (a 3% core limit plus a 2% adult social care precept). A small number of councils in financial difficulty were also granted a higher bespoke limit.

Cheshire West and Chester Against the Rest of the North West

Across the 35 billing authorities in the North West, Band D for 2026/27 runs from Wigan at £2,152.68 to Liverpool at £2,673.59, a spread of £520.91. The regional mean is £2,483.22, so Cheshire West and Chester sits £34.11 above it. See the full North West table.

Closest North West authorities by Band D

Council	Band D 2026/27	vs Cheshire West and Chester
Rossendale	£2,519.97	+£2.64
Blackpool	£2,513.22	-£4.11
Cumberland	£2,511.32	-£6.01
Westmorland and Furness	£2,507.99	-£9.34
Lancaster	£2,503.19	-£14.14
Wirral	£2,500.59	-£16.74

How Band Rates Are Worked Out in Cheshire West and Chester

Like every billing authority, Cheshire West and Chester sets a single Band D rate each year. All other bands are then calculated as fixed fractions of that rate, set nationally by central government. The fractions are expressed in ninths:

Band	Fraction of Band D	Calculation	2026/27 rate
Band A	6/9	£2,517.33 x 6/9	£1,678.22
Band B	7/9	£2,517.33 x 7/9	£1,957.92
Band C	8/9	£2,517.33 x 8/9	£2,237.63
Band D	9/9	Baseline rate	£2,517.33
Band E	11/9	£2,517.33 x 11/9	£3,076.74
Band F	13/9	£2,517.33 x 13/9	£3,636.14
Band G	15/9	£2,517.33 x 15/9	£4,195.55
Band H	18/9	£2,517.33 x 18/9	£5,034.66

Contact Cheshire West and Chester Council

For billing enquiries, payment arrangements, discounts, or to report a change in your circumstances, contact Cheshire West and Chester Council directly.

Cheshire West and Chester Council council tax page

Area Band D incl. police and fire precepts, per GOV.UK Table 9 (2026-27 release, MHCLG, 25 Mar 2026). Covers Chester, Ellesmere Port and Northwich; the area is heavily parished, so most bills add a town or parish precept on top of this average.

Cheshire West and Chester Council Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Band D council tax in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band D council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £2,517.33 for 2026/27, up from £2,392.03 in 2025/26 (a 5.2% increase). This is the headline reference rate; all other bands are calculated as fixed fractions of Band D.

How much is council tax Band A in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band A council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £1,678.22 for 2026/27, which is 6/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £167.82 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band B in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band B council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £1,957.92 for 2026/27, which is 7/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £195.79 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band C in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band C council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £2,237.63 for 2026/27, which is 8/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £223.76 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band E in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band E council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £3,076.74 for 2026/27, which is 11/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £307.67 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band F in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band F council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £3,636.14 for 2026/27, which is 13/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £363.61 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band G in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band G council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £4,195.55 for 2026/27, which is 15/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £419.56 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band H in Cheshire West and Chester for 2026/27?

Band H council tax in Cheshire West and Chester is £5,034.66 for 2026/27, which is 18/9 of the £2,517.33 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £503.47 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

What are all eight council tax bands in Cheshire West and Chester?

Cheshire West and Chester has eight council tax bands (A to H) for 2026/27: Band A £1,678.22, Band B £1,957.92, Band C £2,237.63, Band D £2,517.33, Band E £3,076.74, Band F £3,636.14, Band G £4,195.55, Band H £5,034.66. Every band is a fixed fraction of the Band D rate of £2,517.33. The full rate table with monthly figures is on this page.

How much did council tax rise in Cheshire West and Chester this year?

Cheshire West and Chester raised Band D council tax by £125.30 for 2026/27, a 5.2% increase versus 2025/26. The total bill is above 5%, but for most councils that reflects the separately-capped police, fire and (where relevant) mayoral or Greater London Authority precepts added on top of the billing authority's own increase, which is itself limited to 5% before a local referendum (a 3% core limit plus a 2% adult social care precept). A small number of councils in financial difficulty were also granted a higher bespoke limit.

Where does council tax in Cheshire West and Chester actually go?

The £2,517.33 Band D bill in Cheshire West and Chester is split across 3 separate charges: Cheshire West and Chester £2,121.80, Cheshire PCC £295.44, Cheshire Fire £100.09. The largest single element is Cheshire West and Chester at £2,121.80, which is 84% of the bill. Each body sets its own charge and they are added together on one bill.

Is council tax in Cheshire West and Chester higher or lower than the rest of the North West?

Cheshire West and Chester's Band D rate of £2,517.33 is £34.11 above the £2,483.22 average across the 35 authorities in the North West. The range runs from £2,152.68 in Wigan to £2,673.59 in Liverpool. Across England as a whole its Band D rate is 82nd highest of 296 authorities.

When do I pay council tax to Cheshire West and Chester Council?

Council tax is typically paid in 10 monthly instalments from April to January, though most councils including Cheshire West and Chester offer a 12-month payment option on request. Direct debit, online payment, and standing order are usually available. Contact Cheshire West and Chester Council directly to set up or change a payment plan.

What discounts are available on council tax in Cheshire West and Chester?

Standard discounts include the 25% single-person discount (one adult living alone or with under-18s), full exemption for student households, and discounts for properties left empty or undergoing major repair. Cheshire West and Chester also operates a Council Tax Support scheme for low-income households. Apply via the council's website.

How do I check my council tax band in Cheshire West and Chester?

Your property's official council tax band is set by the Valuation Office (VOA), part of HMRC. Look it up free at gov.uk/check-council-tax-band, or check your most recent council tax bill from Cheshire West and Chester Council. If you believe the band is wrong you can challenge it with the VOA.

Independent information. Not affiliated with the Valuation Office Agency, any local authority, or Scottish Assessors. Rate data is compiled from published 2026/27 council tax schedules. Not legal or financial advice. Contact your local authority for billing queries.

Figures are the 2026/27 tax year, in force from 1 April 2026, as published by MHCLG on 25 March 2026. The 2027/28 tables are due in spring 2027.

Last verified 25 March 2026 · Sourced from Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England: 2026 to 2027 (MHCLG), Open Government Licence v3.0