South East | England | Shire district

Council Tax Bands in Test Valley 2026/27

Band D 2026/27

£2,305.52

+£108.99 (+5.0%) vs 2025/26

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

Quick answer

Council tax bands in Test Valley for 2026/27 run from £1,537.01 (Band A) to £4,611.04 (Band H), with the Band D reference rate set at £2,305.52 (up 5.0% 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 - Test Valley 2026/27

BandAnnual rateMonthly (10 mths)
ABand A£1,537.01£153.70
BBand B£1,793.18£179.32
CBand C£2,049.35£204.94
DBand D£2,305.52£230.55
EBand E£2,817.86£281.79
FBand F£3,330.20£333.02
GBand G£3,842.53£384.25
HBand H£4,611.04£461.10

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 £2,305.52 Bill

A Band D bill in Test Valley 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 73% of the total.

Charged byBand D elementShare of bill
Test Valley billing authority£232.1110.1%
Hampshire£1,690.1173.3%
Hampshire PCC£290.4612.6%
Hampshire and IOW Fire£92.844.0%
Total Band D£2,305.52100%

Registry Record for Test Valley

ONS code

E07000093

MHCLG E-code

E1742

Authority type

Shire district

Area

Hampshire

Tax base 2026/27

53,102

Assumed collection rate

98.50%

Parishes in area

56

Parishes setting a precept

50

Band D rank in England

238 of 296

Registry snapshot

25 March 2026

Test Valley is a shire district in the South East, within the Hampshire area. Its 2026/27 tax base for setting council tax is 53,102 Band D equivalent dwellings, calculated on an assumed collection rate of 98.50%. 50 of the 56 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 238 of 296 in England.

Year-on-Year Change

Band D 2025/26

£2,196.53

Band D 2026/27

£2,305.52

Annual increase

+£108.99 (+5.0%)

Test Valley's Band D rate increased by £108.99 (5.0%) in 2026/27 compared with the previous year. This is within 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).

Test Valley 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 Test Valley sits £169.93 below it. See the full South East table.

Closest Hampshire and South East authorities by Band D

CouncilBand D 2026/27
Havant£2,320.28
Rushmoor£2,320.28
Fareham£2,270.55
Eastleigh£2,342.21
East Hampshire£2,343.92
Gosport£2,344.29

How Band Rates Are Worked Out in Test Valley

Like every billing authority, Test Valley 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£2,305.52 x 6/9£1,537.01
Band B7/9£2,305.52 x 7/9£1,793.18
Band C8/9£2,305.52 x 8/9£2,049.35
Band D9/9Baseline rate£2,305.52
Band E11/9£2,305.52 x 11/9£2,817.86
Band F13/9£2,305.52 x 13/9£3,330.20
Band G15/9£2,305.52 x 15/9£3,842.53
Band H18/9£2,305.52 x 18/9£4,611.04

Contact your council in Test Valley

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

Find contact details on GOV.UK

Related Guides

Test Valley Council Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Band D council tax in Test Valley for 2026/27?
Band D council tax in Test Valley is £2,305.52 for 2026/27, up from £2,196.53 in 2025/26 (a 5.0% 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 Test Valley for 2026/27?
Band A council tax in Test Valley is £1,537.01 for 2026/27, which is 6/9 of the £2,305.52 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £153.70 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band B in Test Valley for 2026/27?
Band B council tax in Test Valley is £1,793.18 for 2026/27, which is 7/9 of the £2,305.52 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £179.32 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band C in Test Valley for 2026/27?
Band C council tax in Test Valley is £2,049.35 for 2026/27, which is 8/9 of the £2,305.52 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £204.94 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
How much is council tax Band E in Test Valley for 2026/27?
Band E council tax in Test Valley is £2,817.86 for 2026/27, which is 11/9 of the £2,305.52 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £281.79 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.
What are all eight council tax bands in Test Valley?
Test Valley has eight council tax bands (A to H) for 2026/27: Band A £1,537.01, Band B £1,793.18, Band C £2,049.35, Band D £2,305.52, Band E £2,817.86, Band F £3,330.20, Band G £3,842.53, Band H £4,611.04. Every band is a fixed fraction of the Band D rate of £2,305.52. The full rate table with monthly figures is on this page.
How much did council tax rise in Test Valley this year?
Test Valley raised Band D council tax by £108.99 for 2026/27, a 5.0% increase versus 2025/26. This is within 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 Test Valley actually go?
The £2,305.52 Band D bill in Test Valley is split across 4 separate charges: Test Valley billing authority £232.11, Hampshire £1,690.11, Hampshire PCC £290.46, Hampshire and IOW Fire £92.84. The largest single element is Hampshire at £1,690.11, which is 73% of the bill. Each body sets its own charge and they are added together on one bill.
Is council tax in Test Valley higher or lower than the rest of the South East?
Test Valley's Band D rate of £2,305.52 is £169.93 below the £2,475.45 average across the 64 authorities in the South East. The range runs from £1,952.62 in Windsor and Maidenhead to £2,756.17 in Lewes. Across England as a whole it ranks 238 of 296 authorities by Band D.
When do I pay council tax to the billing authority for Test Valley?
Council tax is typically paid in 10 monthly instalments from April to January, though most councils including Test Valley offer a 12-month payment option on request. Direct debit, online payment, and standing order are usually available. Contact the billing authority for Test Valley directly to set up or change a payment plan.
What discounts are available on council tax in Test Valley?
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. Test Valley 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 Test Valley?
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 the billing authority for Test Valley. 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