North East | England | Unitary authority

Council Tax Bands in Durham 2026/27

Band D 2026/27

£2,622.15

+£70.98 (+2.8%) vs 2025/26

Full band A to H council tax rates for Durham from 1 April 2026.

Quick answer

Council tax bands in Durham for 2026/27 run from £1,748.10 (Band A) to £5,244.30 (Band H), with the Band D reference rate set at £2,622.15 (up 2.8% 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 - Durham 2026/27

BandAnnual rateMonthly (10 mths)
ABand A£1,748.10£174.81
BBand B£2,039.45£203.95
CBand C£2,330.80£233.08
DBand D£2,622.15£262.22
EBand E£3,204.85£320.49
FBand F£3,787.55£378.76
GBand G£4,370.25£437.03
HBand H£5,244.30£524.43

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 £2,622.15 Bill

A Band D bill in Durham is not one charge. It is 3 separate charges set by 3 different bodies and collected together. The largest is Durham at £2,193.29, which is 84% of the total. Of the billing authority's own share, £40.41 is the adult social care precept added for 2026/27 (1.99% of last year's Band D).

Charged byBand D elementShare of bill
Durham£2,193.2983.6%
Durham PCC£300.7411.5%
Durham Fire£128.124.9%
Total Band D£2,622.15100%

Registry Record for Durham

ONS code

E06000047

MHCLG E-code

E1302

Authority type

Unitary authority

Tax base 2026/27

151,634

Assumed collection rate

99.00%

Parishes in area

129

Parishes setting a precept

109

Band D rank in England

23 of 296

Registry snapshot

25 March 2026

Durham is a unitary authority in the North East. Its 2026/27 tax base for setting council tax is 151,634 Band D equivalent dwellings, calculated on an assumed collection rate of 99.00%. 109 of the 129 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 ranks 23 of 296 in England.

Year-on-Year Change

Band D 2025/26

£2,551.17

Band D 2026/27

£2,622.15

Annual increase

+£70.98 (+2.8%)

Durham's Band D rate increased by £70.98 (2.8%) in 2026/27 compared with the previous year. This is below the 5% that an English social care authority can add for 2026/27 without a local referendum (a 3% core limit plus a 2% adult social care precept).

Durham Against the Rest of the North East

Across the 12 billing authorities in the North East, Band D for 2026/27 runs from Sunderland at £2,197.14 to Gateshead at £2,715.81, a spread of £518.67. The regional mean is £2,525.66, so Durham sits £96.49 above it. See the full North East table.

Closest North East authorities by Band D

CouncilBand D 2026/27
Northumberland£2,596.94
Stockton-on-Tees£2,589.83
Hartlepool£2,560.20
Middlesbrough£2,549.16
Redcar and Cleveland£2,544.48
Newcastle upon Tyne£2,542.19

How Band Rates Are Worked Out in Durham

Like every billing authority, Durham 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:

BandFraction of Band DCalculation2026/27 rate
Band A6/9£2,622.15 x 6/9£1,748.10
Band B7/9£2,622.15 x 7/9£2,039.45
Band C8/9£2,622.15 x 8/9£2,330.80
Band D9/9Baseline rate£2,622.15
Band E11/9£2,622.15 x 11/9£3,204.85
Band F13/9£2,622.15 x 13/9£3,787.55
Band G15/9£2,622.15 x 15/9£4,370.25
Band H18/9£2,622.15 x 18/9£5,244.30

Contact Durham County Council

For billing enquiries, payment arrangements, discounts, or to report a change in your circumstances, contact Durham County Council directly.

Durham County Council council tax page

Unparished. County £2,071.11 + Police £300.74 + Fire £128.12. 25/26 figure adjusted to reflect 4.99% rise (agent flagged anomaly with original counciltax.info 25/26 number).

Related Guides

Durham Council Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Band D council tax in Durham for 2026/27?
Band D council tax in Durham is £2,622.15 for 2026/27, up from £2,551.17 in 2025/26 (a 2.8% 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 Durham for 2026/27?
Band A council tax in Durham is £1,748.10 for 2026/27, which is 6/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £174.81 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band B in Durham for 2026/27?
Band B council tax in Durham is £2,039.45 for 2026/27, which is 7/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £203.95 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band C in Durham for 2026/27?
Band C council tax in Durham is £2,330.80 for 2026/27, which is 8/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £233.08 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band E in Durham for 2026/27?
Band E council tax in Durham is £3,204.85 for 2026/27, which is 11/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £320.49 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band F in Durham for 2026/27?
Band F council tax in Durham is £3,787.55 for 2026/27, which is 13/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £378.76 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band G in Durham for 2026/27?
Band G council tax in Durham is £4,370.25 for 2026/27, which is 15/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £437.03 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band H in Durham for 2026/27?
Band H council tax in Durham is £5,244.30 for 2026/27, which is 18/9 of the £2,622.15 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £524.43 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
What are all eight council tax bands in Durham?
Durham has eight council tax bands (A to H) for 2026/27: Band A £1,748.10, Band B £2,039.45, Band C £2,330.80, Band D £2,622.15, Band E £3,204.85, Band F £3,787.55, Band G £4,370.25, Band H £5,244.30. Every band is a fixed fraction of the Band D rate of £2,622.15. The full rate table with monthly figures is on this page.
How much did council tax rise in Durham this year?
Durham raised Band D council tax by £70.98 for 2026/27, a 2.8% increase versus 2025/26. This is below the 5% that an English social care authority can add for 2026/27 without a local referendum (a 3% core limit plus a 2% adult social care precept).
Where does council tax in Durham actually go?
The £2,622.15 Band D bill in Durham is split across 3 separate charges: Durham £2,193.29, Durham PCC £300.74, Durham Fire £128.12. The largest single element is Durham at £2,193.29, which is 84% of the bill. Each body sets its own charge and they are added together on one bill.
Is council tax in Durham higher or lower than the rest of the North East?
Durham's Band D rate of £2,622.15 is £96.49 above the £2,525.66 average across the 12 authorities in the North East. The range runs from £2,197.14 in Sunderland to £2,715.81 in Gateshead. Across England as a whole it ranks 23 of 296 authorities by Band D.
When do I pay council tax to Durham County Council?
Council tax is typically paid in 10 monthly instalments from April to January, though most councils including Durham offer a 12-month payment option on request. Direct debit, online payment, and standing order are usually available. Contact Durham County Council directly to set up or change a payment plan.
What discounts are available on council tax in Durham?
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. Durham 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 Durham?
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 Durham County 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

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Updated 1 May 2026