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Council tax in Reading 2026/27
£2,613a year for a Band D home in Reading, 2026/27: £261 a month over ten instalments
A Band D home in Reading pays £2,612.77 in council tax for 2026/27, up £126 (5.1%) on 2025/26. Band A pays £1,742 and Band H £5,226. Reading is among the more expensive third of England's 296 billing authorities (rank 27), £221 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. Figures as published by MHCLG on 2026-03-25.
All eight bands in Reading
- Reading (billing authority)
- Thames Valley PCC
- Berkshire Fire
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 | £1,741.85 | £174.19 | £145.15 | +£83.78 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £2,032.15 | £203.22 | £169.35 | +£97.73 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,322.46 | £232.25 | £193.54 | +£111.70 |
| Dreference band | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,612.77 | £261.28 | £217.73 | +£125.66 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,193.39 | £319.34 | £266.12 | +£153.59 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,774.00 | £377.40 | £314.50 | +£181.51 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,354.62 | £435.46 | £362.89 | +£209.44 |
| H | more than £320,000 | £5,225.54 | £522.55 | £435.46 | +£251.32 |
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 £2,613 Band D bill, £2,223 (85%) is Reading'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:
- Reading (billing authority)includes this year's adult social care precept increase of £42 (2.0%; earlier years' increases are in the baseline)£2,223.18
- Thames Valley PCC£298.28
- Berkshire Fire£91.31
- Band D area council tax 2026/27£2,612.77
Band D in Reading, five years
Between 2022/23 and 2026/27 the Band D bill in Reading rose from £2,145 to £2,613, 21.8% in 4 years. England's average went from £1,966 to £2,392 over the same period (21.7%).
Nearby councils in the South East
| Council | Band A | Band D | Band H | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton and Hove | £1,720 | £2,581 | £5,161 | +5.0% |
| Cherwell | £1,722 | £2,583 | £5,166 | +4.8% |
| Isle of Wight | £1,751 | £2,626 | £5,252 | +5.3% |
| Reading | £1,742 | £2,613 | £5,226 | +5.1% |
| South Oxfordshire | £1,732 | £2,598 | £5,195 | +5.0% |
| Surrey Heath | £1,723 | £2,585 | £5,170 | +4.8% |
| Tandridge | £1,730 | £2,595 | £5,190 | +5.0% |
| Waverley | £1,737 | £2,605 | £5,210 | +4.9% |
| Woking | £1,732 | £2,598 | £5,196 | +4.7% |
All councils in the South East · Rankings for England · Every billing authority.
Questions about council tax in Reading
How much is council tax in Reading for a Band D home?
£2,612.77 a year in 2026/27 for a Band D dwelling occupied by two adults, or about £261 a month over the usual ten instalments (£218 over twelve). That is +£126 (+5.1%) compared with 2025/26.
How much is council tax band A in Reading?
Band A in Reading is £1,741.85 a year in 2026/27, about £174 a month over ten instalments. Band A is charged at 6/9 of the Band D figure of £2,613.
How much is council tax band B in Reading?
Band B in Reading is £2,032.15 a year in 2026/27, about £203 a month over ten instalments. Band B is charged at 7/9 of the Band D figure of £2,613.
How much is council tax band C in Reading?
Band C in Reading is £2,322.46 a year in 2026/27, about £232 a month over ten instalments. Band C is charged at 8/9 of the Band D figure of £2,613.
Who receives the council tax paid in Reading?
Reading (billing authority) £2,223, Thames Valley PCC £298, Berkshire Fire £91 at Band D. Reading is a unitary authority and keeps the largest share itself.
Is council tax in Reading high compared with the rest of England?
Reading ranks 27 of 296 billing authorities on Band D (1 is the most expensive), among the more expensive third. Its Band D of £2,613 is £221 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.