Hammersmith and Fulham Council Tax Calculator, Bands and Rates: 2026/27

Hammersmith and Fulham Council Tax 2026/27: Third Lowest in England, and the Only Borough in This Series Offering Veterans a 25% Discount

Hammersmith and Fulham Council confirmed its 2026/27 budget at the meeting shown above on 25 February 2026, applying the standard 4.99% rise on its own element — 2.99% general plus the 2% Adult Social Care precept. The total Band D bill is £1,519.51, the third lowest of any billing authority in England after Wandsworth and Westminster. This is £872.49 below the England average Band D of £2,392.

The council's own budget report frames this positioning explicitly: "Council Tax in Hammersmith and Fulham remained the third lowest in the country during 2025/26. Since coming to power in 2014, this administration has cut or frozen council tax five times in eleven years." For 2026/27, the council adds a specific new measure not found in any other borough covered in this series: a 25% discount on council tax for all military veterans living in the borough, introduced as a token of thanks marking eighty years since the end of the Second World War.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council Tax Bands A-H: 2026/27 Rate Table

All eight bands are fixed fractions of the Band D rate, set nationally in ninths, based on your property's estimated market value on 1 April 1991.

The veteran discount: the only such policy in this entire series

H&F's decision to grant a 25% council tax discount to military veterans in 2026/27 is, to the best of the research underpinning this series, unique among London boroughs. The council's own budget report links this directly to the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War: "As a token of thanks to the brave men and women who have risked their lives to protect our country, all military veterans will be eligible for a 25% Council Tax cut in 2026/27."

For a veteran in a Band D property, this represents a saving of £379.88 a year — bringing the effective bill to £1,139.63 before any other discounts. The discount appears to apply to the whole household's bill where a qualifying veteran is the liable person, not merely to the veteran's notional share. Veterans who believe they may qualify should contact H&F directly to confirm eligibility and application process, as the specific administrative mechanism for verifying veteran status is not detailed in the publicly available budget report.

Who pays nothing at all: the three specific exempt groups

H&F's own budget documentation explicitly names three categories of household that pay no council tax at all under the borough's scheme — a broader set of full exemptions than most boroughs in this series acknowledge in their own budget documentation:

Is H&F a Fair Funding winner or loser?

Unlike Enfield (which gained the most in this series, 75% over three years) or Brent and Haringey, H&F's position under the new funding formula is as a recipient of transitional relief rather than a net gainer. The council's own budget report states explicitly that it is "eligible for transitional funding relief over the three years to 2028/29" — meaning the new formula would, if applied immediately, reduce H&F's funding, and transitional protection is moderating that reduction over three years rather than granting a cash increase. This places H&F among the boroughs that are structurally losing from formula reform, cushioned only by time-limited relief.

This is a genuinely significant context for anyone thinking about H&F's low council tax rate long-term. A borough that is both eligible for transitional protection (implying it loses under the new formula) and already named by government as one of five authorities where above-cap rises are assumed in the national funding model is facing twin structural pressures that do not show up in the current year's relatively modest bill.

The above-cap assumption: same group as City of London, Westminster, Wandsworth, and Kensington and Chelsea

H&F is one of five local authorities named in government's own funding projections as having a council tax that sits so far below the national average that central government's model assumes an above-cap rise will be needed at some point to bring it closer to parity. The others named in government documentation are the City of London, Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, and Windsor and Maidenhead. H&F's own budget report notes this, stating the level of council tax increase for 2026/27 "reflects the assumption that has been outlined" in the government's spending power calculations — language that implicitly acknowledges the government is signalling an expected correction over the coming years, even without mandating it. Any H&F resident making multi-year financial plans around the current low rate should be aware of this structural signal.

Three real-world Hammersmith and Fulham scenarios

Typical mistakes Hammersmith and Fulham residents make

• Not claiming the veteran discount if eligible. This is new for 2026/27 and is the only such borough-specific discount of its kind in this series — confirm eligibility directly with H&F at lbhf.gov.uk.
• Assuming the low council tax rate is structurally permanent. H&F is named by government as one of five authorities where an above-cap correction is assumed in the national model, alongside City of London, Westminster, Wandsworth, and Kensington and Chelsea.
• Confusing transitional relief with a funding gain. H&F's multi-year settlement includes transitional protection because it is a net loser under the new formula, not a winner.
• Missing the in-house foster carer and special guardian exemptions. These are fully funded by the council and not passed to other residents, making them worth confirming if you are in one of these caring roles.

2025/26 versus 2026/27: what actually changed

H&F's own element rose by the standard 4.99% mechanism in both years. What is materially new for 2026/27 is the 25% military veteran discount (introduced for the first time), the start of H&F's three-year transitional relief period under the new Fair Funding settlement, and the confirmed continuation of the care leaver and foster carer full exemptions. Band D rose from £1,483.43 in 2025/26 to £1,519.51 — an increase of £36.08, the smallest cash rise of any borough covered in this series given H&F's low base.

Decision guide: who should act on this information

Discounts and reductions available in Hammersmith and Fulham 2026

Universal Credit and council tax in Hammersmith and Fulham

If you receive Universal Credit, it does not automatically reduce your council tax. Use our Universal Credit Calculator to estimate your UC entitlement, then apply for Council Tax Support separately at lbhf.gov.uk. For payment queries, H&F's 24-hour automated card payment lines are 020 8753 1930 and 020 8753 6681.

How to challenge your council tax band

H&F does not decide your band - challenges go to the Valuation Office Agency. Start at gov.uk/challenge-council-tax-band. Independent data shows 18.2% of resolved band challenges in H&F in 2023-24 resulted in a lower band — a higher success rate than many comparable inner London authorities. You must continue paying at your current band throughout; a successful challenge is refunded and can be backdated.

What happens if you miss a council tax payment

Frequently asked questions