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Council tax in New Forest 2026/27
£2,420a year for a Band D home in New Forest, 2026/27: £242 a month over ten instalments
A Band D home in New Forest pays £2,419.76 in council tax for 2026/27, up £116 (5.1%) on 2025/26. Band A pays £1,613 and Band H £4,840. New Forest is in the middle third of England's 296 billing authorities (rank 163), £28 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 (36 parish and town councils in New Forest set a precept, so bills differ between parishes). Figures as published by MHCLG on 2026-03-25.
All eight bands in New Forest
- New Forest (billing authority)
- Hampshire County Council
- Hampshire PCC
- Hampshire and IOW 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 | £1,613.17 | £161.32 | £134.43 | +£77.59 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,882.04 | £188.20 | £156.84 | +£90.53 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,150.90 | £215.09 | £179.24 | +£103.46 |
| Dreference band | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,419.76 | £241.98 | £201.65 | +£116.39 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,957.48 | £295.75 | £246.46 | +£142.25 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,495.21 | £349.52 | £291.27 | +£168.12 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,032.93 | £403.29 | £336.08 | +£193.98 |
| H | more than £320,000 | £4,839.52 | £483.95 | £403.29 | +£232.78 |
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 £2,420 Band D bill, £212 (9%) is New Forest's own council tax. The rest is collected on behalf of other bodies:
- New Forest (billing authority)£211.92
- Hampshire County Council£1,690.11
- Hampshire PCC£290.46
- Hampshire and IOW Fire£92.84
- Parish precept (average)average across the area; 36 of 37 parishes set a precept£134.43
- Band D area council tax 2026/27£2,419.76
Band D in New Forest, five years
Between 2022/23 and 2026/27 the Band D bill in New Forest rose from £1,988 to £2,420, 21.7% in 4 years. England's average went from £1,966 to £2,392 over the same period (21.7%).
Nearby councils in Hampshire
| Council | Band A | Band D | Band H | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Hampshire | £1,563 | £2,344 | £4,688 | +5.0% |
| Eastleigh | £1,561 | £2,342 | £4,684 | +5.1% |
| Gosport | £1,563 | £2,344 | £4,689 | +4.8% |
| Hart | £1,600 | £2,400 | £4,800 | +5.0% |
| Havant | £1,547 | £2,320 | £4,641 | +4.9% |
| New Forest | £1,613 | £2,420 | £4,840 | +5.1% |
| Rushmoor | £1,547 | £2,320 | £4,641 | +4.9% |
| Test Valley | £1,537 | £2,306 | £4,611 | +5.0% |
| Winchester | £1,573 | £2,360 | £4,720 | +4.8% |
All councils in the South East · Rankings for England · Every billing authority.
Questions about council tax in New Forest
How much is council tax in New Forest for a Band D home?
£2,419.76 a year in 2026/27 for a Band D dwelling occupied by two adults, or about £242 a month over the usual ten instalments (£202 over twelve). That is +£116 (+5.1%) compared with 2025/26.
How much is council tax band A in New Forest?
Band A in New Forest is £1,613.17 a year in 2026/27, about £161 a month over ten instalments. Band A is charged at 6/9 of the Band D figure of £2,420.
How much is council tax band B in New Forest?
Band B in New Forest is £1,882.04 a year in 2026/27, about £188 a month over ten instalments. Band B is charged at 7/9 of the Band D figure of £2,420.
How much is council tax band C in New Forest?
Band C in New Forest is £2,150.90 a year in 2026/27, about £215 a month over ten instalments. Band C is charged at 8/9 of the Band D figure of £2,420.
Who receives the council tax paid in New Forest?
New Forest (billing authority) £212, Hampshire County Council £1,690, Hampshire PCC £290, Hampshire and IOW Fire £93, Parish precept (average) £134 at Band D. New Forest is a shire district, so most of the bill goes to the county council.
Is council tax in New Forest high compared with the rest of England?
New Forest ranks 163 of 296 billing authorities on Band D (1 is the most expensive), in the middle third. Its Band D of £2,420 is £28 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.