Scotland | Scottish council area

Council Tax Bands in East Lothian 2026/27

Band D 2026/27

£1,697.62

+£118.44 (+7.5%) vs 2025/26

Full band A to H council tax rates for East Lothian from 1 April 2026. Scotland uses the same 8 bands as England, based on 1991 property values, but appeals go through the Scottish Assessors.

Quick answer

Council tax bands in East Lothian for 2026/27 run from £1,131.75 (Band A) to £4,159.17 (Band H), with the Band D reference rate set at £1,697.62 (up 7.5% 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 - East Lothian 2026/27

Band	1991 value range	Annual rate	Monthly (10 mths)	Monthly (12 mths)
ABand A	Up to £27,000	£1,131.75	£113.18	£94.31
BBand B	£27,001 to £35,000	£1,320.37	£132.04	£110.03
CBand C	£35,001 to £45,000	£1,509.00	£150.90	£125.75
DBand D	£45,001 to £58,000	£1,697.62	£169.76	£141.47
EBand E	£58,001 to £80,000	£2,230.48	£223.05	£185.87
FBand F	£80,001 to £106,000	£2,758.63	£275.86	£229.89
GBand G	£106,001 to £212,000	£3,324.51	£332.45	£277.04
HBand H	Over £212,000	£4,159.17	£415.92	£346.60

Source: Council Tax Datasets: Council Tax by band 2026-27, Scottish Government (Official statistics). Council Tax by band 2026-27 and Band D council tax rates by year 1996-97 to 2026-27. Snapshot: 2026-27 dataset, updated 31 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.

Note for Scottish households: water and waste water are extraThe figures above are the council tax portion only, as published in the Scottish Government dataset. Scottish residents also pay Scottish Water and waste water charges as part of their council tax bill. These are collected by the local authority on behalf of Scottish Water and shown as separate line items, so the total annual bill is higher than the figures here. See Scottish Water charges for the exact amounts.

Registry Record for East Lothian

Authority type

Scottish council area

Band D rank in Scotland

11 of 32

Registry snapshot

31 March 2026

East Lothian is a scottish council area in Scotland. Its Band D rate ranks 11 of 32 in Scotland.

Year-on-Year Change

Band D 2025/26

£1,579.18

Band D 2026/27

£1,697.62

Annual increase

+£118.44 (+7.5%)

East Lothian's Band D rate increased by £118.44 (7.5%) in 2026/27 compared with the previous year. Scotland does not operate England's council tax referendum limit, so each Scottish council sets its own increase (the funded council tax freeze applied only to 2024/25).

East Lothian Against the Rest of Scotland

Across the 32 billing authorities in Scotland, Band D for 2026/27 runs from South Lanarkshire at £1,468.47 to Midlothian at £1,816.16, a spread of £347.69. The regional mean is £1,661.92, so East Lothian sits £35.70 above it. See the full Scotland table.

Closest Scotland authorities by Band D

Council	Band D 2026/27	vs East Lothian
South Ayrshire	£1,694.96	-£2.66
Renfrewshire	£1,690.56	-£7.06
Glasgow	£1,706.00	+£8.38
Aberdeenshire	£1,686.04	-£11.58
North Ayrshire	£1,685.84	-£11.78
Clackmannanshire	£1,683.67	-£13.95

How Band Rates Are Worked Out in East Lothian

Like every billing authority, East Lothian 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. Bands A to D are fixed ninths of Band D, but Scotland's 2017 reform (SSI 2016/368) set steeper ratios for bands E to H, so higher-band households pay proportionally more than in England or Wales:

Band	Fraction of Band D	Calculation	2026/27 rate
Band A	6/9	£1,697.62 x 6/9	£1,131.75
Band B	7/9	£1,697.62 x 7/9	£1,320.37
Band C	8/9	£1,697.62 x 8/9	£1,509.00
Band D	9/9	Baseline rate	£1,697.62
Band E	473/360	£1,697.62 x 473/360	£2,230.48
Band F	585/360	£1,697.62 x 585/360	£2,758.63
Band G	705/360	£1,697.62 x 705/360	£3,324.51
Band H	882/360	£1,697.62 x 882/360	£4,159.17

Contact your council in East Lothian

For billing enquiries, payment arrangements, discounts, or to report a change in your circumstances, contact the billing authority for East Lothian directly.

Find contact details on GOV.UK

East Lothian Council Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Band D council tax in East Lothian for 2026/27?

Band D council tax in East Lothian is £1,697.62 for 2026/27, up from £1,579.18 in 2025/26 (a 7.5% 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 East Lothian for 2026/27?

Band A council tax in East Lothian is £1,131.75 for 2026/27, which is 6/9 of the £1,697.62 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £113.18 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January. Scottish bills also add separate Scottish Water and waste water charges on top.

How much is council tax Band B in East Lothian for 2026/27?

Band B council tax in East Lothian is £1,320.37 for 2026/27, which is 7/9 of the £1,697.62 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £132.04 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January. Scottish bills also add separate Scottish Water and waste water charges on top.

How much is council tax Band C in East Lothian for 2026/27?

Band C council tax in East Lothian is £1,509.00 for 2026/27, which is 8/9 of the £1,697.62 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £150.90 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January. Scottish bills also add separate Scottish Water and waste water charges on top.

How much is council tax Band E in East Lothian for 2026/27?

Band E council tax in East Lothian is £2,230.48 for 2026/27 (Scotland's 2017 reform set a steeper Band E ratio than England and Wales), which is 473/360 of the £1,697.62 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £223.05 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January. Scottish bills also add separate Scottish Water and waste water charges on top.

What are all eight council tax bands in East Lothian?

East Lothian has eight council tax bands (A to H) for 2026/27: Band A £1,131.75, Band B £1,320.37, Band C £1,509.00, Band D £1,697.62, Band E £2,230.48, Band F £2,758.63, Band G £3,324.51, Band H £4,159.17. Every band is a fixed fraction of the Band D rate of £1,697.62. The full rate table with monthly figures is on this page.

How much did council tax rise in East Lothian this year?

East Lothian raised Band D council tax by £118.44 for 2026/27, a 7.5% increase versus 2025/26. Scotland does not operate England's council tax referendum limit, so each Scottish council sets its own increase (the funded council tax freeze applied only to 2024/25).

Is council tax in East Lothian higher or lower than the rest of Scotland?

East Lothian's Band D rate of £1,697.62 is £35.70 above the £1,661.92 average across the 32 authorities in Scotland. The range runs from £1,468.47 in South Lanarkshire to £1,816.16 in Midlothian. Across Scotland as a whole it ranks 11 of 32 authorities by Band D.

When do I pay council tax to the billing authority for East Lothian?

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

What discounts are available on council tax in East Lothian?

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. East Lothian 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 East Lothian?

Your property's official council tax band is set by the Scottish Assessors. Look it up free at gov.uk/check-council-tax-band, or check your most recent council tax bill from the billing authority for East Lothian. If you believe the band is wrong you can challenge it with the Scottish Assessors.

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 Scottish Government on 31 March 2026. The 2027/28 tables are due in spring 2027.

Last verified 31 March 2026 · Sourced from Council Tax Datasets: Council Tax by band 2026-27 (Scottish Government), Open Government Licence v3.0