Nottingham City Council Tax Calculator Bands & Rates: 2026/27
Calculate your exact Nottingham council tax bill for 2026/27. Band D is £2,342.08 — a 3.5% rise, the smallest increase in 18 years. Includes Nottinghamshire Police, Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue, and the 25% single person discount.
Your Estimated Total Bill (2026/27)—
Nottingham Council Tax 2026/27: The Lowest Rise in 18 Years
For 2026/27, Nottingham City Council set its Band D council tax at £2,342.08, an increase of £79.20 (3.5%) on the 2025/26 figure of £2,262.88. What makes this notable is not the size of the increase, but its smallness: Nottingham had increased council tax by the maximum permitted amount — 4.99% — every single year since 2008. The 3.5% rise for 2026/27 is the first sub-maximum increase the city has applied in 18 years.
This matters for context. Nottingham City Council is a unitary authority — it delivers all local services itself (social care, education, housing, waste, planning) rather than splitting responsibilities with a county council. That structure means the council element of your bill is unusually large relative to the police and fire precepts layered on top, and it means the council has historically had less room to manoeuvre on its budget than two-tier areas.
Band D 2026/27
£2,342
↑ 3.5% — lowest rise since 2008
Monthly (10 payments)
£234
Standard direct debit plan
Years at max 4.99%
17
2008/09 through 2025/26
Authority type
Unitary
All services delivered by one council
For 2026/27, the referendum threshold for council tax increases was set at the higher of 3.0% or £5.00. Nottingham's combined increase of 3.5% — including any Adult Social Care element — was confirmed as falling within this limit, so no local referendum was triggered.
Nottingham Council Tax Bands A–H: 2026/27 Full Rate Table
All eight bands are calculated as fixed fractions of the Band D rate, set in ninths nationally. Your band reflects your property's estimated market value on 1 April 1991 — not its current value. Nottingham's housing stock is heavily weighted toward Bands A and B, particularly in the inner-city wards and former council estates that ring the city centre.
Band
Property value (1991)
Fraction of Band D
Annual rate
Monthly (10)
A
Up to £40,000
6/9
£1,561.39
£156.14
B
£40,001 – £52,000
7/9
£1,821.62
£182.16
C
£52,001 – £68,000
8/9
£2,081.85
£208.19
D
£68,001 – £88,000
9/9
£2,342.08
£234.21
E
£88,001 – £120,000
11/9
£2,862.54
£286.25
F
£120,001 – £160,000
13/9
£3,383.00
£338.30
G
£160,001 – £320,000
15/9
£3,903.47
£390.35
H
Over £320,000
18/9
£4,684.16
£468.42
Band A is highlighted because it is the most common band across Nottingham's inner-city wards (Radford, Hyson Green, St Ann's, Bulwell). Band D is highlighted as the statutory reference rate. The figures above include Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Police, and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue, but exclude any parish precept (Nottingham itself has no parish precepts within the city boundary).
Why Nottingham maxed out council tax for 18 consecutive years
Nottingham's run of maximum-permitted increases is tied directly to one of the most severe local government financial crises in England. The council issued a Section 114 notice — the local government equivalent of declaring itself unable to balance its budget — driven by a combination of factors: the collapse of council-owned energy company Robin Hood Energy, a backlog of historic equal pay claims, and rising demand for adult social care and children's services that outpaced central government funding.
Government-appointed commissioners have overseen aspects of the council's finances and governance since the crisis, and the council has been working through a multi-year recovery plan that has included asset sales, service reductions, and — until this year — annual council tax rises at the statutory maximum. The 3.5% rise for 2026/27, falling more than a full percentage point below the 4.99% ceiling, is the clearest signal yet that the recovery plan is moving the council toward a more sustainable financial footing, though the council's own commentary frames this as one step in a longer process rather than a return to normal.
Nottingham vs the 4.99% norm: a three-year comparison
To understand how unusual the 2026/27 rise is, it helps to see it against the backdrop of years at the statutory ceiling:
Year
Band D Rate
Year-on-year increase
Note
2024/25
£2,156.43 (est.)
+4.99%
Maximum permitted
2025/26
£2,262.88
+4.99%
Maximum permitted
2026/27
£2,342.08
+3.5%
First sub-maximum rise since 2008
Had Nottingham applied the full 4.99% again for 2026/27, Band D would have reached approximately £2,375.71 — meaning the lower rise saves a Band D household around £33.63 compared with the historical pattern. For a Band A household — the most common in the city — the equivalent saving is roughly £22.42. These are modest figures in absolute terms, but they represent a genuine break from an 18-year trend that residents had come to expect as automatic.
What makes up your Nottingham bill: the precept breakdown
Unlike two-tier areas, Nottingham's bill has only three components — there is no separate county council element, because the city council performs that role itself. The Band D total of £2,342.08 for 2026/27 breaks down as:
Nottingham City Council (including Adult Social Care)
£1,928.77 at Band D — by far the largest share, reflecting Nottingham's status as a unitary authority responsible for adult social care, children's services, education, housing, waste collection, and highways, all funded from a single precept. This is the element most affected by the council's ongoing financial recovery plan.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Precept
£311.10 at Band D for 2026/27, up £15 (5.1%) on the previous year's £296.10. This is a larger percentage increase than the city council applied, reflecting separate decisions by Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden on policing budgets across Nottinghamshire.
Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire Authority Precept
£102.21 at Band D for 2026/27, up £5 (5.14%) from £97.21. The Combined Fire Authority approved this increase on 27 February 2026, citing the need to maintain 999 response standards and home fire safety programmes.
Notice that both the police precept (+5.1%) and the fire precept (+5.14%) rose faster, in percentage terms, than the city council's own 3.5% increase. In practice this means the "non-council" portion of your bill is growing slightly faster than the city council portion for the first time in years — a reversal of the pattern during Nottingham's years of maximum increases.
Three real-world Nottingham scenarios: what different households actually pay
Here are three worked examples for 2026/27, reflecting how household composition and area combine with the new rates.
Scenario 1 — Mixed student houseshare, Band A terrace in Lenton
Lenton, close to the University of Nottingham, is dominated by Band A and B terraces. A five-bedroom house has four full-time students and one working graduate. The four students are disregarded; the graduate is treated as the sole occupant. Band A standard rate: £1,561.39. Single person discount (25%): −£390.35. Final bill: £1,171.04/year (£117.10/month over 10 months). This discount is frequently missed in Lenton, Dunkirk, and Radford because tenants assume a "student house" is automatically exempt for everyone living there.
Scenario 2 — Family of four, Band B semi in Bestwood
Bestwood and Bulwell, in the north of the city, are predominantly Band A and B former council housing. No discount applies (multiple adults). Band B rate: £1,821.62/year. Standard monthly direct debit: £182.16 over 10 months, or £151.80 over 12 months. Over a 10-year period at current rates, this household's cumulative council tax is approximately £18,216 before any future increases — but note that, after 18 years of 4.99% rises, even a return to that pattern would compound quickly: a sustained 4.99% rise from 2027/28 onward would add roughly £1,000 to the 10-year total compared with continued 3.5% rises.
Scenario 3 — Retired couple, Band C semi in Wollaton, applying for Council Tax Support
Wollaton, in the west of the city, has a higher proportion of Band C–E properties than most Nottingham wards. Band C rate: £2,081.85. Both adults present (no single discount). If pension income falls within Nottingham's Council Tax Support thresholds, a partial or full reduction applies. At a 50% reduction: effective bill £1,040.93/year. At full pension-age entitlement (100%): £0. Given the scale of Nottingham's financial pressures, the council has an active interest in ensuring eligible households claim support correctly rather than fall into arrears.
Discounts and reductions available in Nottingham 2026
None of these apply automatically — each requires an application to Nottingham City Council. Given the council's financial position, ensuring you are not overpaying through a missed discount is more valuable than ever, and equally, the council has a strong incentive to pursue unpaid council tax robustly — so claiming a legitimate reduction is far better than falling behind and hoping it goes unnoticed.
Single person discount
25% off
If you are the only adult living in the property as their main home. At Band D, this saves £585.52 per year for 2026/27. Must be applied for — not automatic when a household member moves out.
Nottingham Council Tax Support
Up to 100%
Nottingham's locally designed, means-tested scheme. Pension-age claimants can receive a full reduction. Working-age claimants receive a partial reduction based on income, savings, and household size. Both renters and owner-occupiers can apply.
Full-time students
Full exemption
Full-time students at the University of Nottingham or Nottingham Trent University are disregarded entirely. A property occupied solely by full-time students — common in Lenton, Dunkirk, and the Lace Market — pays zero council tax.
Disabled band reduction
1 band lower
If your home has been adapted for a disabled resident — a wheelchair-accessible room, additional bathroom, or downstairs bedroom conversion — your band is reduced by one step. For a Band B property, this is the difference between £1,561.39 (Band A) and £1,821.62 (Band B): a saving of £260.23/year.
Severe mental impairment
Disregarded
Adults with a severe mental impairment, such as dementia or an acquired brain injury, are disregarded for council tax purposes. If all other residents also qualify for disregard, a full exemption may apply to the property.
Care leavers under 25
Full exemption
Nottingham care leavers aged under 25, living alone or with other care leavers, may be fully exempt. Confirm eligibility directly with Nottingham City Council's council tax team in writing.
Nottingham-specific context: the Workplace Parking Levy and why it matters to your council tax
Nottingham is the only UK city to operate a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) — a charge on employers providing more than a small number of workplace parking spaces. While the WPL is not part of your council tax bill and does not appear on it, it is directly relevant to understanding Nottingham's finances: the levy was specifically designed to fund transport infrastructure (including NET tram extensions) without relying on additional council tax increases for those projects.
The practical relevance for residents is this: Nottingham has, for years, used non-council-tax revenue streams like the WPL precisely because council tax was already at the statutory ceiling. As the council's financial recovery progresses and council tax increases moderate (as seen with the 3.5% rise for 2026/27), debates over whether to expand, retain, or scale back levies like the WPL are likely to intensify — any changes there could indirectly affect future council tax decisions by altering the council's available revenue mix.
Empty properties and second homes: 2026 premium rules in Nottingham
From 1 April 2026, Nottingham City Council can charge a 100% premium on properties left unoccupied and unfurnished for one year, down from the previous two-year threshold. An empty Band D property in Nottingham could therefore face an annual bill of £4,684.16 — double the standard rate.
Given Nottingham's financial position, empty property premiums are a meaningful revenue tool the council is unlikely to apply leniently. Nottingham has a significant stock of long-term empty terraced housing in areas affected by past clearance and regeneration schemes, particularly in parts of St Ann's and Radford — owners of such properties should assume the premium will be applied promptly once the qualifying period is reached, rather than expecting informal grace periods.
Nationally, 211 councils already charge double council tax on second homes, with a further 38 expected to follow from April 2026. Exemptions exist for probate periods, properties undergoing structural repair, and armed forces personnel serving overseas — confirm your situation with Nottingham City Council before assuming a standard rate applies.
How to challenge your Nottingham council tax band
Council tax bands across England were fixed using 1991 valuations and have never been updated. Nottingham's inner-city areas have changed substantially since then — large-scale clearance, regeneration, and the conversion of former industrial buildings into residential use (particularly around the Lace Market and Sneinton) mean band assignments in these areas are worth checking carefully.
To check your band, use the free Valuation Office Agency (VOA) band checker to compare your property against similar homes — built before 1993 and structurally similar — on your street. If comparable properties are in a lower band, a free VOA challenge typically takes 2–4 months.
Important: The VOA can also raise a band it finds too low. Given Nottingham's financial pressures, the council has every incentive to ensure bands are correctly assessed across the city — gather solid comparable evidence from similar, unaltered neighbouring properties before submitting any challenge.
Decision guide: what Nottingham households should do right now
1
Verify your band, especially in regenerated inner-city areas
If your property is in the Lace Market, Sneinton, or St Ann's and has been converted, rebuilt, or regenerated since 1991, check the VOA band checker against comparable, unaltered properties nearby.
2
Check single person discount, especially in student areas
If you live alone — including as the only non-student in a shared house in Lenton, Dunkirk, or Radford — claim the 25% discount. This is one of the most underclaimed reductions in the city.
3
Apply or reapply for Council Tax Support
If your income has changed or you have reached pension age, apply or reapply. Given Nottingham's financial constraints, the council actively reviews entitlements — make sure your award reflects your current circumstances.
4
Switch to a 12-month payment plan if it helps cash flow
Nottingham City Council offers 12-month spread payments on request, reducing the Band D monthly direct debit from £234.21 to £195.17. The annual total is unchanged — only the schedule differs.
5
Contact the council immediately if you've missed a payment
Given Nottingham's financial pressures, enforcement action on unpaid council tax is unlikely to be delayed informally. A reminder gives 7 days, a final notice removes the right to pay in instalments, and a Liability Order enables bailiff action or deductions from wages and benefits. Contact the council's council tax team before this escalates, not after.
What happens if you miss a payment in Nottingham
If a Nottingham council tax payment is missed without a prior arrangement, the enforcement timeline follows the standard English sequence — but Nottingham's financial recovery plan gives the council a clear incentive to pursue arrears promptly, since council tax income is one of its few directly controllable revenue streams.
1
Reminder notice issued
Sent shortly after a missed instalment. You have 7 days to bring your account up to date and retain your right to pay monthly.
2
Final notice — instalments lost
A further missed payment results in a final notice, after which the full remaining annual balance becomes payable immediately, with 7 days before further action.
3
Magistrates' court — Liability Order
Nottingham City Council can apply to the magistrates' court for a Liability Order, adding court costs to your debt. Once granted, this allows enforcement agents (bailiffs), deductions from earnings or benefits, or a charging order against your property.
✓
Early contact resolves most cases
Contact Nottingham City Council's council tax team via nottinghamcity.gov.uk/council-tax as soon as you anticipate difficulty. Payment plans, hardship support, and Council Tax Support applications are all available before enforcement begins.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nottingham council tax Band D rate for 2026/27?
£2,342.08, an increase of £79.20 (3.5%) on the 2025/26 rate of £2,262.88. This is the lowest year-on-year increase Nottingham has applied since 2008 — every prior year saw the full 4.99% maximum applied. The figure includes Nottingham City Council (£1,928.77), Nottinghamshire Police (£311.10), and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue (£102.21).
Why did Nottingham increase council tax by the maximum every year for 18 years?
Nottingham City Council faced a severe financial crisis, issuing a Section 114 notice driven by the collapse of council-owned energy company Robin Hood Energy, historic equal pay liabilities, and rising social care costs. Government-appointed commissioners have overseen aspects of the council's recovery, which has included annual council tax rises at the statutory maximum of 4.99% in most recent years. The 3.5% rise for 2026/27 is the first time in 18 years the council has not applied the full permitted increase.
Does Nottingham have parish council precepts?
No. Unlike some surrounding Nottinghamshire districts (such as Ashfield or Bassetlaw, which include numerous parished areas), the city of Nottingham itself has no parish or town council precepts. Your bill consists solely of the city council, police, and fire elements.
I live in a student house in Lenton with one working housemate — what discount applies?
Full-time students are disregarded for council tax purposes. If your house has, for example, four full-time students and one working adult, the working adult is treated as the sole occupant and can claim the 25% single person discount. This is widely underclaimed in Lenton, Dunkirk, and Radford.
What is the Workplace Parking Levy and does it affect my council tax bill?
The Workplace Parking Levy is a separate charge on employers with significant workplace parking provision, used to fund transport projects including NET tram extensions. It does not appear on your council tax bill and is not charged to residents directly. It is relevant only as part of the broader picture of how Nottingham funds services outside of council tax.
Can I spread my Nottingham council tax over 12 months instead of 10?
Yes. Contact Nottingham City Council to request a 12-month payment arrangement. On a Band D property, this reduces the monthly direct debit from £234.21 (10-month plan) to £195.17 (12-month plan). The total annual liability is identical — only the payment schedule changes.
