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Council tax in Dorset 2026/27
£2,765a year for a Band D home in Dorset, 2026/27: £277 a month over ten instalments
A Band D home in Dorset pays £2,765.02 in council tax for 2026/27, up £135 (5.1%) on 2025/26. Band A pays £1,843 and Band H £5,530. Dorset is among the more expensive third of England's 296 billing authorities (rank 1), £374 above the England average of £2,392.
Assumptions: financial year 2026/27 (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027); a dwelling occupied by two adults with no discount, exemption or council tax support; the area average including the average parish precept (190 parish and town councils in Dorset set a precept, so bills differ between parishes). Figures as published by MHCLG on 2026-03-25.
All eight bands in Dorset
- Dorset (billing authority)
- Dorset PCC
- Dorset and Wiltshire Fire
- Parish precept (average)
Each rung is one valuation band; its length is the annual bill and the colours show who receives the money. Bands are fixed proportions of Band D: A is 6/9, H is 18/9.
| Band | 1991 value | A year | A month (10) | A month (12) | Change on 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | up to £40,000 | £1,843.35 | £184.33 | £153.61 | +£89.82 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,150.57 | £215.06 | £179.21 | +£104.78 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,457.80 | £245.78 | £204.82 | +£119.76 |
| Dreference band | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,765.02 | £276.50 | £230.42 | +£134.72 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,379.47 | £337.95 | £281.62 | +£164.66 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,993.92 | £399.39 | £332.83 | +£194.60 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,608.37 | £460.84 | £384.03 | +£224.54 |
| H | more than £320,000 | £5,530.04 | £553.00 | £460.84 | +£269.44 |
Annual figures are MHCLG's Table 9 (area council tax by band). The change on 2025/26 applies the statutory band ratio to last year's Band D, so it is exact for Band D and rounded to the pound for other bands. Councils normally bill in ten monthly instalments from April; you can ask for twelve.
Who receives the money
Of the £2,765 Band D bill, £2,206 (80%) is Dorset's own council tax, of which £42 is this year's adult social care precept increase. The rest is collected on behalf of other bodies:
- Dorset (billing authority)includes this year's adult social care precept increase of £42 (2.0%; earlier years' increases are in the baseline)£2,205.90
- Dorset PCC£322.58
- Dorset and Wiltshire Fire£96.95
- Parish precept (average)average across the area; 190 of 262 parishes set a precept£139.59
- Band D area council tax 2026/27£2,765.02
Band D in Dorset, five years
Between 2022/23 and 2026/27 the Band D bill in Dorset rose from £2,290 to £2,765, 20.7% in 4 years. England's average went from £1,966 to £2,392 over the same period (21.7%).
Nearby councils in the South West
| Council | Band A | Band D | Band H | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | £1,809 | £2,714 | £5,427 | +5.0% |
| Dorset | £1,843 | £2,765 | £5,530 | +5.1% |
| East Devon | £1,730 | £2,595 | £5,191 | +5.5% |
| Mid Devon | £1,771 | £2,656 | £5,313 | +5.4% |
| North Devon | £1,761 | £2,642 | £5,284 | +5.1% |
| South Hams | £1,743 | £2,615 | £5,230 | +5.0% |
| Teignbridge | £1,762 | £2,643 | £5,286 | +5.2% |
| Torridge | £1,734 | £2,601 | £5,203 | +4.9% |
| West Devon | £1,804 | £2,705 | £5,411 | +5.1% |
All councils in the South West · Rankings for England · Every billing authority.
Questions about council tax in Dorset
How much is council tax in Dorset for a Band D home?
£2,765.02 a year in 2026/27 for a Band D dwelling occupied by two adults, or about £277 a month over the usual ten instalments (£230 over twelve). That is +£135 (+5.1%) compared with 2025/26.
How much is council tax band A in Dorset?
Band A in Dorset is £1,843.35 a year in 2026/27, about £184 a month over ten instalments. Band A is charged at 6/9 of the Band D figure of £2,765.
How much is council tax band B in Dorset?
Band B in Dorset is £2,150.57 a year in 2026/27, about £215 a month over ten instalments. Band B is charged at 7/9 of the Band D figure of £2,765.
How much is council tax band C in Dorset?
Band C in Dorset is £2,457.80 a year in 2026/27, about £246 a month over ten instalments. Band C is charged at 8/9 of the Band D figure of £2,765.
Who receives the council tax paid in Dorset?
Dorset (billing authority) £2,206, Dorset PCC £323, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire £97, Parish precept (average) £140 at Band D. Dorset is a unitary authority and keeps the largest share itself.
Is council tax in Dorset high compared with the rest of England?
Dorset ranks 1 of 296 billing authorities on Band D (1 is the most expensive), among the more expensive third. Its Band D of £2,765 is £374 above the England average of £2,392.
Sources
- Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (MHCLG statistical release, 25 March 2026) (accessed 2026-09-12) ✓ checked
- Council Tax levels 2026 to 2027: Tables 1 to 9 (Table 9: area council tax for a dwelling occupied by two adults by band) (accessed 2026-09-12) ✓ checked
- Council Tax levels 2026 to 2027: Table 10, local authority level data (precept elements, adult social care, parishes) (accessed 2026-09-12) ✓ checked
- Live tables on Council Tax: Band D council tax figures 1993-94 onwards (revised 22 April 2026) (accessed 2026-09-12) ✓ checked
- Local Government Finance Act 1992, section 5: different categories of dwellings (band proportions 6:7:8:9:11:13:15:18) (accessed 2026-09-12) ✓ checked
Figures for 2026/27 as published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 2026-03-25 (Band D live table revised 22 April 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. How we calculate · Which band am I?
Council Tax Ledger shows the average area council tax for 2026/27 for a dwelling occupied by two adults with no discounts, as published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Parish precepts vary within a district, so your bill may differ. Not financial advice.