South East | England | Shire district
Council Tax Bands in New Forest 2026/27
Band D 2026/27
£2,419.76
+£116.39 (+5.1%) vs 2025/26
Full band A to H council tax rates for New Forest from 1 April 2026.
Quick answer
Council tax bands in New Forest for 2026/27 run from £1,613.17 (Band A) to £4,839.52 (Band H), with the Band D reference rate set at £2,419.76 (up 5.1% 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 - New Forest 2026/27
| Band | Annual rate | Monthly (10 mths) |
|---|---|---|
| ABand A | £1,613.17 | £161.32 |
| BBand B | £1,882.04 | £188.20 |
| CBand C | £2,150.90 | £215.09 |
| DBand D | £2,419.76 | £241.98 |
| EBand E | £2,957.48 | £295.75 |
| FBand F | £3,495.21 | £349.52 |
| GBand G | £4,032.93 | £403.29 |
| HBand H | £4,839.52 | £483.95 |
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 £2,419.76 Bill
A Band D bill in New Forest is not one charge. It is 4 separate charges set by 4 different bodies and collected together. The largest is Hampshire at £1,690.11, which is 70% of the total.
| Charged by | Band D element | Share of bill |
|---|---|---|
| New Forest billing authority | £346.35 | 14.3% |
| Hampshire | £1,690.11 | 69.8% |
| Hampshire PCC | £290.46 | 12.0% |
| Hampshire and IOW Fire | £92.84 | 3.8% |
| Total Band D | £2,419.76 | 100% |
Registry Record for New Forest
ONS code
E07000091
MHCLG E-code
E1738
Authority type
Shire district
Area
Hampshire
Tax base 2026/27
74,306
Assumed collection rate
98.50%
Parishes in area
37
Parishes setting a precept
36
Band D rank in England
163 of 296
Registry snapshot
25 March 2026
New Forest is a shire district in the South East, within the Hampshire area. Its 2026/27 tax base for setting council tax is 74,306 Band D equivalent dwellings, calculated on an assumed collection rate of 98.50%. 36 of the 37 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 163 of 296 in England.
Year-on-Year Change
Band D 2025/26
£2,303.37
Band D 2026/27
£2,419.76
Annual increase
+£116.39 (+5.1%)
New Forest's Band D rate increased by £116.39 (5.1%) 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.
New Forest Against the Rest of the South East
Across the 64 billing authorities in the South East, Band D for 2026/27 runs from Windsor and Maidenhead at £1,952.62 to Lewes at £2,756.17, a spread of £803.55. The regional mean is £2,475.45, so New Forest sits £55.69 below it. See the full South East table.
Closest Hampshire and South East authorities by Band D
| Council | Band D 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Hart | £2,400.02 |
| Winchester | £2,359.76 |
| Gosport | £2,344.29 |
| East Hampshire | £2,343.92 |
| Eastleigh | £2,342.21 |
| Havant | £2,320.28 |
How Band Rates Are Worked Out in New Forest
Like every billing authority, New Forest 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 | £2,419.76 x 6/9 | £1,613.17 |
| Band B | 7/9 | £2,419.76 x 7/9 | £1,882.04 |
| Band C | 8/9 | £2,419.76 x 8/9 | £2,150.90 |
| Band D | 9/9 | Baseline rate | £2,419.76 |
| Band E | 11/9 | £2,419.76 x 11/9 | £2,957.48 |
| Band F | 13/9 | £2,419.76 x 13/9 | £3,495.21 |
| Band G | 15/9 | £2,419.76 x 15/9 | £4,032.93 |
| Band H | 18/9 | £2,419.76 x 18/9 | £4,839.52 |
Contact your council in New Forest
For billing enquiries, payment arrangements, discounts, or to report a change in your circumstances, contact the billing authority for New Forest directly.
Find contact details on GOV.UKRelated Guides
New Forest Council Tax: Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Band D council tax in New Forest for 2026/27?
How much is council tax Band A in New Forest for 2026/27?
How much is council tax Band B in New Forest for 2026/27?
How much is council tax Band C in New Forest for 2026/27?
How much is council tax Band E in New Forest for 2026/27?
What are all eight council tax bands in New Forest?
How much did council tax rise in New Forest this year?
Where does council tax in New Forest actually go?
Is council tax in New Forest higher or lower than the rest of the South East?
When do I pay council tax to the billing authority for New Forest?
What discounts are available on council tax in New Forest?
How do I check my council tax band in New Forest?
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.