Council tax
Contents
- Overview
- Login and manage your council tax online
- Paying your council tax
- Reporting any changes
- Council tax bands and charges
- Council tax spending
- Get help with your council tax
- Discounts and exemptions
- Appealing your council tax
- Failing to pay your council tax
- Frequently asked questions
- Privacy notice - Revenues
Council tax bands and charges
The amount of council tax you pay is based on which council tax band your property is in. This is based on how much the property was worth on 1 April 1991. Homes built since 1991 are still valued on the basis of what they would have been worth in 1991. Your council tax bill states which band you are in.
Valuation bands based on property value on 1 April 1991:
- band A - up to £40,000
- band B - £40,001 to £52,000
- band C - £52,001 to £68,000
- band D - £68,001 to £88,000
- band E - £88,001 to £120,000
- band F - £120,001 to £160,000
- band G - £160,001 to £320,000
- band H - £320,001 and above
Find the council tax band for your property (opens new window) - you will need the full address, including postcode.
As the billing authority, we are responsible for collecting council tax on behalf of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire & Swindon, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, and the town and parish councils.
The following table details how the council tax payable for each council tax band is calculated.
The average parish/town council tax charge is shown in this table - the actual charge will vary depending on where you live.
| Band | Value of property (1 April 1991) | Wiltshire Council | Fire | Police | Average town/parish council precept | Total council tax payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,258.00 | £61.30 | £188.85 | £120.79 | £1,628.94 |
| B | £40,001 - £52,000 | £1,467.66 | £71.52 | £220.32 | £140.93 | £1,900.43 |
| C | £52,001 - £68,000 | £1,677.32 | £81.73 | £251.80 | £161.06 | £2,171.91 |
| D | £68,001 - £88,000 | £1,886.99 | £91.95 | £283.27 | £181.19 | £2,443.40 |
| E | £88,001 - £120,000 | £2,306.32 | £112.38 | £346.22 | £221.45 | £2,986.37 |
| F | £120,001 - £160,000 | £2,725.65 | £132.82 | £409.17 | £261.72 | £3,529.36 |
| G | £160,001 - £320,000 | £3,144.98 | £153.25 | £472.12 | £301.98 | £4,072.33 |
| H | Over £320,000 | £3,773.98 | £183.90 | £566.54 | £362.38 | £4,886.80 |
Central government requires all councils with adult social care responsibilities to publish the text below on their council tax information webpage.
"The Secretary of State made an offer to adult social care authorities. ("Adult social care authorities" are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, namely county councils in England, district councils for an area in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly).
The offer was the option of an adult social care authority being able to charge an additional "precept" on its council tax without holding a referendum, to assist the authority in meeting expenditure on adult social care.
If the Secretary of State chooses to review this offer in respect of a particular financial year, this is subject to the approval of the House of Commons.
About the levy
In 2015 English councils were given the power to increase council tax to pay for social care services for adults. These are services which help people with physical or learning disabilities or mental health needs carry out their daily routines.
The government announced that a further 2% can be raised during 2025 to 2026. The precept must be spent on Adult Social Care.
The levy will be used to meet growing demand and ease the pressure on social care budgets. You are unable to opt out paying this levy, or any other council tax service that you do not use or require.
How the levy affects your bill
Although this was shown as a separate entry on the council tax bills previously, this is no longer a requirement. The 2% is shown within the overall Wiltshire Council increase of 4.5%.
As the levy is calculated on the total Wiltshire Council charge from the previous year, it simplifies it by adding the increase together and showing a 4.5% total increase. Showing it as a separate amount caused confusion and a lot of queries about how this was calculated.
For information, the Wiltshire Council and Adult Social Care Levy amounts for 2025/26 are broken down below :
| Levy | Band A | Band B | Band C | Band D | Band E | Band F | Band G | Band H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiltshire Council 2.5% | £1,060.40 | £1,237.13 | £1,413.85 | £1,590.59 | £1,944.06 | £2,297.52 | £2,650.99 | £3,181.19 |
| Adult Social Care Levy 2% | £197.60 | £230.53 | £263.46 | £296.39 | £362.26 | £428.13 | £493.99 | £592.79 |
| Total | £1,258.00 | £1,467.66 | £1,677.32 | £1,886.99 | £2,306.32 | £2,725.65 | £3,144.98 | £3,773.98 |
How we ensure the levy is spent on adult social care
As part of the process of setting our budget, the Chief Finance Officer is required to confirm, in writing to the government, that we will use the adult social care levy, and that the budget for adult social care has increased from what it otherwise would have been by at least the amount raised from this levy.
If you think your council tax band is wrong, you can appeal by contacting the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) (opens new window), which is responsible for making sure your home is in the right band.
Telephone: 03000 501501
Contact the VOA (GOV.UK) (opens new window)
You must continue to pay your council tax while any appeal is in progress.
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