East of England | England | Shire district

Council Tax Bands in Watford 2026/27

Band D 2026/27

£2,446.70

+£103.32 (+4.4%) vs 2025/26

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

Quick answer

Council tax bands in Watford for 2026/27 run from £1,631.13 (Band A) to £4,893.40 (Band H), with the Band D reference rate set at £2,446.70 (up 4.4% 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 - Watford 2026/27

Band	1991 value range	Annual rate	Monthly (10 mths)	Monthly (12 mths)
ABand A	Up to £40,000	£1,631.13	£163.11	£135.93
BBand B	£40,001 to £52,000	£1,902.99	£190.30	£158.58
CBand C	£52,001 to £68,000	£2,174.84	£217.48	£181.24
DBand D	£68,001 to £88,000	£2,446.70	£244.67	£203.89
EBand E	£88,001 to £120,000	£2,990.41	£299.04	£249.20
FBand F	£120,001 to £160,000	£3,534.12	£353.41	£294.51
GBand G	£160,001 to £320,000	£4,077.83	£407.78	£339.82
HBand H	Over £320,000	£4,893.40	£489.34	£407.78

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 £2,446.70 Bill

A Band D bill in Watford is not one charge. It is 3 separate charges set by 3 different bodies and collected together. The largest is Hertfordshire at £1,858.19, which is 76% of the total.

Charged by	Band D element	Share of bill
Watford	£308.51	12.6%
Hertfordshire	£1,858.19	75.9%
Hertfordshire PCC	£280.00	11.4%
Total Band D	£2,446.70	100%

Registry Record for Watford

ONS code

E07000103

MHCLG E-code

E1939

Authority type

Shire district

Area

Hertfordshire

Tax base 2026/27

35,688

Assumed collection rate

97.00%

Parishes in area

Parishes setting a precept

Band D rank in England

142nd highest of 296

Registry snapshot

25 March 2026

Watford is a shire district in the East of England, within the Hertfordshire area. Its 2026/27 tax base for setting council tax is 35,688 Band D equivalent dwellings, calculated on an assumed collection rate of 97.00%. There are no parish or town councils in the area, so every household pays the same area figures shown here. Its Band D rate is 142nd highest of 296 in England, so see how Watford compares with the cheapest and most expensive councils in the UK or the rest of the East of England.

Year-on-Year Change

Band D 2025/26

£2,343.38

Band D 2026/27

£2,446.70

Annual increase

+£103.32 (+4.4%)

Watford's Band D rate increased by £103.32 (4.4%) 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).

Watford Against the Rest of the East of England

Across the 45 billing authorities in the East of England, Band D for 2026/27 runs from Thurrock at £2,254.68 to Huntingdonshire at £2,556.40, a spread of £301.72. The regional mean is £2,391.20, so Watford sits £55.50 above it. See the full East of England table.

Closest Hertfordshire and East of England authorities by Band D

Council	Band D 2026/27	vs Watford
North Hertfordshire	£2,448.52	+£1.82
Welwyn Hatfield	£2,452.26	+£5.56
East Hertfordshire	£2,454.78	+£8.08
Three Rivers	£2,422.31	-£24.39
St Albans	£2,419.22	-£27.48
Dacorum	£2,408.51	-£38.19

How Band Rates Are Worked Out in Watford

Like every billing authority, Watford 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	£2,446.70 x 6/9	£1,631.13
Band B	7/9	£2,446.70 x 7/9	£1,902.99
Band C	8/9	£2,446.70 x 8/9	£2,174.84
Band D	9/9	Baseline rate	£2,446.70
Band E	11/9	£2,446.70 x 11/9	£2,990.41
Band F	13/9	£2,446.70 x 13/9	£3,534.12
Band G	15/9	£2,446.70 x 15/9	£4,077.83
Band H	18/9	£2,446.70 x 18/9	£4,893.40

Contact Watford Borough Council

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

Watford Borough Council council tax page

Area Band D incl. county, police and fire precepts, per GOV.UK Table 9 (2026-27 release, MHCLG, 25 Mar 2026). Watford is a shire district in the two-tier county of Hertfordshire, so a bill combines the Hertfordshire County Council precept, the Watford Borough district precept and Hertfordshire Police; most of the town is unparished, so few bills add a parish precept on top of this average.

Watford Council Tax: Frequently Asked Questions

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

Band D council tax in Watford is £2,446.70 for 2026/27, up from £2,343.38 in 2025/26 (a 4.4% 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 Watford for 2026/27?

Band A council tax in Watford is £1,631.13 for 2026/27, which is 6/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £163.11 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

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

Band B council tax in Watford is £1,902.99 for 2026/27, which is 7/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £190.30 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

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

Band C council tax in Watford is £2,174.84 for 2026/27, which is 8/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £217.48 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

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

Band E council tax in Watford is £2,990.41 for 2026/27, which is 11/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £299.04 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band F in Watford for 2026/27?

Band F council tax in Watford is £3,534.12 for 2026/27, which is 13/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £353.41 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band G in Watford for 2026/27?

Band G council tax in Watford is £4,077.83 for 2026/27, which is 15/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £407.78 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

How much is council tax Band H in Watford for 2026/27?

Band H council tax in Watford is £4,893.40 for 2026/27, which is 18/9 of the £2,446.70 Band D rate. That works out at roughly £489.34 a month over the usual 10 instalments from April to January.

What are all eight council tax bands in Watford?

Watford has eight council tax bands (A to H) for 2026/27: Band A £1,631.13, Band B £1,902.99, Band C £2,174.84, Band D £2,446.70, Band E £2,990.41, Band F £3,534.12, Band G £4,077.83, Band H £4,893.40. Every band is a fixed fraction of the Band D rate of £2,446.70. The full rate table with monthly figures is on this page.

How much did council tax rise in Watford this year?

Watford raised Band D council tax by £103.32 for 2026/27, a 4.4% 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 Watford actually go?

The £2,446.70 Band D bill in Watford is split across 3 separate charges: Watford £308.51, Hertfordshire £1,858.19, Hertfordshire PCC £280.00. The largest single element is Hertfordshire at £1,858.19, which is 76% of the bill. Each body sets its own charge and they are added together on one bill.

Is council tax in Watford higher or lower than the rest of the East of England?

Watford's Band D rate of £2,446.70 is £55.50 above the £2,391.20 average across the 45 authorities in the East of England. The range runs from £2,254.68 in Thurrock to £2,556.40 in Huntingdonshire. Across England as a whole its Band D rate is 142nd highest of 296 authorities.

When do I pay council tax to Watford Borough Council?

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

What discounts are available on council tax in Watford?

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. Watford 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 Watford?

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 Watford Borough 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