UK · Council Tax

Council Tax Band Checker

Check your Council Tax band, find out whether you're over-banded compared with your neighbours, and see if you can legally challenge it — all free. Council Tax bands are still based on 1991 valuations (2003 in Wales) that were often done in a hurry, so a large number of homes sit in the wrong band and overpay every year.

1

Find your band — free

Your band is public. Look it up free on the official government service, and while you're there, note the bands of a few similar neighbouring homes (same type, size and age) — you'll need those in step 2.

2

Are you over-banded? — free check

Enter your band and the bands of similar neighbours. If most comparable homes sit in a lower band, you may be over-banded — the exact inconsistency the Valuation Office looks at.

3

Can you legally challenge? — free

The VOA treats a challenge differently depending on your situation. Answer these to see which route applies.

Have you been the Council Tax payer for this property for less than 6 months?

Has the Valuation Office changed your band in the last 6 months?

Has the property or local area physically changed (e.g. split/merged, part now business use, a new road/supermarket built)?

4

Let us do the hard part — £4.99

Finding 5 truly matched lower-band comparables — and proving it the way the VOA requires — is the part most people get stuck on. For £4.99 we pull your whole postcode automatically, rank your strongest evidence, and (if you proceed) draft your VOA challenge for a flat £39. You keep 100% of any refund.

  • Your band vs the full postcode
  • Ranked, matched comparables
  • A drafted VOA challenge (£39, £34.01 after credit)
  • Backdated refund + lower ongoing bill
Run the £4.99 check

The VOA won't accept Rightmove/Zoopla/Nationwide averages as evidence — we build the matched-comparable evidence that actually counts.

Council Tax band value ranges

Every band is a range of what the property was worth on the valuation date — 1 April 1991 in England, 1 April 2003 in Wales. That's why the figures look nothing like today's prices, and why band errors are so hard to spot.

BandEngland (1991 value)Wales (2003 value)
A£0 – £40,000£0 – £44,000
B£40,000 – £52,000£44,000 – £65,000
C£52,000 – £68,000£65,000 – £91,000
D£68,000 – £88,000£91,000 – £123,000
E£88,000 – £120,000£123,000 – £162,000
F£120,000 – £160,000£162,000 – £223,000
G£160,000 – £320,000£223,000 – £324,000
H£320,000+£324,000 – £424,000
I£424,000+

Source: Valuation Office Agency band tables. Scotland uses 1991 values on the A–H scale with its own ranges — check yours on the Scottish Assessors site.

Council Tax band checker — FAQ

How do I check my Council Tax band?

Your band is public. For homes in England and Wales, use the official gov.uk band lookup (tax.service.gov.uk/check-council-tax-band); for Scotland, use the Scottish Assessors (saa.gov.uk). Both are free and take under a minute.

How do I know if my Council Tax band is too high?

Compare your band against similar neighbouring homes — same type, size, age and style. If most comparable homes sit in a lower band than yours, you may be over-banded. Our free checker does this comparison for you when you enter the bands.

What are the Council Tax band value ranges?

Bands reflect what a property was worth on 1 April 1991 in England and 1 April 2003 in Wales — not today’s value. Band A in England is up to £40,000; Band D is £68,000–£88,000; Band H is over £320,000. The full table is shown above.

Can I legally challenge my Council Tax band?

You have a legal right to challenge (“make a proposal”) if you’ve been the payer for under 6 months, the VOA changed your band in the last 6 months, or the property/area has physically changed. Otherwise it’s a “band review”, which the VOA only considers with strong evidence — up to 5 matched lower-band comparables.

Can challenging my band make it go up?

A review can move a band either way, so it’s worth checking the neighbour evidence first. Our check only recommends a challenge when the evidence supports a reduction.

What evidence does the Valuation Office accept?

Up to 5 similar properties (matched by type, size, age and style, in your street or area) that sit in a lower band, or sale prices from the valuation window (1 Apr 1989–31 Mar 1993 in England; 1 Apr 2001–31 Mar 2005 in Wales). The VOA will not accept Rightmove, Zoopla or Nationwide average prices as strong evidence.

Related: Challenge your Council Tax band · Bands by council · All UK services · What is a Council Tax band?

This is a free self-service tool and general information, not legal advice. Band value ranges are the official VOA figures; always confirm your own band on the government service before challenging.