Council Tax Bands in Wales 2026/27
Wales has 9 council tax bands (A to I), based on property values as at 1 April 2003. This is different from England and Scotland, which use 8 bands based on 1991 values. Full 2026/27 rates for all 22 Welsh billing authorities, taken from the Welsh Government council tax levels release.
Cheapest Welsh council
Cardiff
£2,013.18
Band D 2026/27
Most expensive council
Merthyr Tydfil
£2,593.60
Band D 2026/27
Wales average
£2,283.00
Band D 2026/27 (Welsh Government)
Wales is different: 9 bands, 2003 base
Welsh councils operate under a different valuation framework from England. The Valuation Office Agency revalued all Welsh properties in 2003, creating a ninth band (Band I) for properties valued above £424,000 at 2003 prices. This means Band I exists only in Wales. Welsh properties are placed using 2003 comparables, not 1991 ones. If you are challenging a Welsh band, the relevant date is 1 April 2003.
Wales Band Value Ranges (2003 Valuation)
| Band | 2003 property value | Fraction of Band D |
|---|---|---|
| Band A | Up to £44,000 | 6/9 |
| Band B | £44,001 to £65,000 | 7/9 |
| Band C | £65,001 to £91,000 | 8/9 |
| Band D | £91,001 to £123,000 | 9/9 (baseline) |
| Band E | £123,001 to £162,000 | 11/9 |
| Band F | £162,001 to £223,000 | 13/9 |
| Band G | £223,001 to £324,000 | 15/9 |
| Band H | £324,001 to £424,000 | 18/9 |
| Band IWales only | Over £424,000 | 21/9 |
Welsh Council Band D Rates 2026/27
| Council | Band D 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Blaenau Gwent | £2,531.26 |
| Bridgend County Borough Council | £2,477.99 |
| Caerphilly County Borough Council | £2,082.88 |
| Cardiff Council | £2,013.18 |
| Carmarthenshire | £2,351.20 |
| Ceredigion | £2,419.45 |
| Conwy | £2,472.82 |
| Denbighshire | £2,339.03 |
| Flintshire | £2,376.17 |
| Gwynedd | £2,468.77 |
| Isle of Anglesey County Council | £2,260.73 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | £2,593.60 |
| Monmouthshire | £2,416.50 |
| Neath Port Talbot | £2,541.39 |
| Newport City Council | £2,088.48 |
| Pembrokeshire | £2,166.15 |
| Powys | £2,351.72 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council | £2,289.43 |
| City and County of Swansea | £2,238.29 |
| Torfaen | £2,155.68 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | £2,231.54 |
| Wrexham County Borough Council | £2,308.88 |
Challenging Your Band in Wales
If you think your Welsh property is in the wrong band, the challenge process is similar to England but uses 2003 comparables rather than 1991 ones. You contact the VOA, now part of HMRC, and ask for a band review, providing evidence of comparable properties at April 2003 values. The relevant valuation date is 1 April 2003. Properties built after 2003 are assessed by extrapolating what they would have sold for at that date.
A council tax revaluation is legislated for April 2028 under the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024, which provides for regular revaluations every five years from that date. In 2026 the Welsh Government confirmed it was reviewing whether to proceed on that timeline, so the 2028 date is not yet certain. If a revaluation goes ahead, all bands would be reset using up-to-date values and some properties could move significantly. This is one reason band challenges are more complex in Wales: the 2003 base is more recent but also more likely to be revalued in future.
Wales Council Tax: Common Questions
Which Welsh council has the cheapest council tax in 2026/27?
Cardiff has the cheapest council tax in Wales for 2026/27, at £2,013.18 for a Band D property, followed by Caerphilly at £2,082.88. These are the total Band D charges including the county or county borough council, the police precept and community (town) council precepts where they apply.
Which Welsh council has the most expensive council tax?
Merthyr Tydfil has the highest Band D council tax in Wales for 2026/27, at £2,593.60, followed by Neath Port Talbot at £2,541.39. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive Welsh council is £580.42 a year for an identical Band D home.
What is the average council tax in Wales for 2026/27?
The average Band D council tax in Wales for 2026/27 is £2,283.00, according to the Welsh Government. That is made up of roughly £1,831 for the county or county borough council, £400 for the police, and an average of £52 for community (town) councils. It is a 5.2% rise on the 2025/26 average of £2,170.
Why does Wales have 9 council tax bands when England has 8?
Wales revalued every property in 2003, more recently than the 1991 valuation still used in England and Scotland. The 2003 revaluation added a ninth band, Band I, for properties worth over £424,000 at 2003 prices. So Welsh homes are split across nine bands (A to I) rather than the eight (A to H) used elsewhere in Great Britain. Band I households pay 21/9 of the Band D rate.
Is Wales getting a council tax revaluation?
A revaluation is legislated for April 2028 under the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024, which provides for regular revaluations every five years from that date. In 2026 the Welsh Government confirmed it was reviewing whether to proceed on that timeline, so the 2028 date is not yet certain. A revaluation would reset every property's band using up-to-date values, and some homes could move up or down.
Updated September 2026. Welsh band ranges based on VOA 2003 revaluation. Band D rates verified against the Welsh Government publication Council tax levels: April 2026 to March 2027 (average Band D including community and police precepts).