The number of local authorities in England looking to impose the maximum level of council tax has fallen this year, new analysis reveals.
Some 119 of the 153 top-tier authorities have either proposed or confirmed a rise of 4.99% for 2026/27 – the largest increase possible without holding a local referendum.
A further six councils with acute financial challenges are likely to accept the permission granted by the Government to increase council tax beyond this level.
This means 125 authorities – 82% of the total – are planning a rise of at least 4.99%, down from 134 (88%) last year.
The findings show that 25 upper-tier councils are currently not looking to raise council tax by at least 4.99%, of which eight have pencilled in rises between 4.00% and 4.98%, nine are between 3.00% and 3.99%, and the remaining eight are between 1.99% and 2.99%.
Some 10 of these 25 councils are run by Reform UK, either as the majority party or as a minority administration.
By contrast, two Reform-led councils – Doncaster and North Northamptonshire – have signalled their intention to apply the maximum 4.99% this year, while another, Worcestershire has been given permission for a rise of up to 8.99% to deal with financial pressures.
Here is a list of the latest proposed and confirmed council tax rises for 2026/27 by top-tier local authorities in England.
The list has been compiled by the Press Association and is a snapshot of the figures available as of February 25.
The data covers only the 153 top-tier local authorities in England: county councils, London boroughs, Metropolitan boroughs and unitary authorities.
It does not include lower-tier district councils.
The list is divided into four sections, corresponding to the four types of top-tier authority, with each section arranged alphabetically.
For each authority, the percentage increase in council tax in 2026/27 is given, along with whether this has been confirmed or proposed.
The current political control of each authority is also listed, with details of whether the ruling party runs a majority or minority administration, or if there is a multi-party agreement.
There are three top-tier authorities that have yet to make public a proposed or confirmed figure.
– County councils
Cambridgeshire (Eastern England), Lib Dem majority: 4.99% confirmed
Derbyshire (East Midlands), Ref maj: 4.90% confirmed
Devon (SW England), Lib Dem min: 4.99% confirmed
East Sussex (SE England), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Essex (Eastern England), Con maj: 3.95% confirmed
Gloucestershire (SW England), Lib Dem min: 4.99% confirmed
Hampshire (SE England), Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Hertfordshire (Eastern England), Lib Dem min: 4.99% confirmed
Kent (SE England), Ref maj: 3.99% confirmed
Lancashire (NW England), Ref maj: 3.80% proposed
Leicestershire (East Midlands), Ref min: 2.99% confirmed
Lincolnshire (East Midlands), Ref maj: 2.90% confirmed
Norfolk (Eastern England), Con maj: 4.99% confirmed
Nottinghamshire (East Midlands), Ref maj: 3.99% proposed
Oxfordshire (SE England), Lib Dem maj: 4.99% confirmed
Staffordshire (West Midlands), Ref maj: 3.99% confirmed
Suffolk (Eastern England), Con maj: 4.99% confirmed
Surrey (SE England), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Warwickshire (West Midlands), Ref min: 4.40% confirmed
West Sussex (SE England), Con maj: 4.99% confirmed
Worcestershire (West Midlands), Ref min: 8.98% proposed
– London boroughs
Barking & Dagenham, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Barnet, Lab maj: 4.98% proposed
Bexley, Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Brent, Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
Bromley, Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Camden, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
City of London, Ind maj: tbc
Croydon, Con min: 4.99% proposed
Ealing, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Enfield, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Greenwich, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Hackney, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Hammersmith & Fulham, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Haringey, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Harrow, Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Havering, Resident min: 4.99% proposed
Hillingdon, Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Hounslow, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Islington, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Kensington & Chelsea, Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Kingston-upon-Thames, Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
Lambeth, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Lewisham, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Merton, Lab maj: 2.00% proposed
Newham, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Redbridge, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Richmond-upon-Thames, Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
Southwark, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Sutton, Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
Tower Hamlets, Aspire maj: 4.99% proposed
Waltham Forest, Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Wandsworth, Lab maj: 2.00% proposed
Westminster, Lab maj: 2.00% proposed
– Metropolitan boroughs:
Barnsley (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 3.40% proposed
Birmingham (West Midlands), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Bolton (NW England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Bradford (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Bury (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Calderdale (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
Coventry (West Midlands), Lab maj: 3.95% proposed
Doncaster (Yorkshire & Humber), Ref maj: 4.99% proposed
Dudley (West Midlands), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Gateshead (NE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Kirklees (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Knowsley (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Leeds (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Liverpool (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Manchester (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (NE England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
North Tyneside (NE England), Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
Oldham (NW England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Rochdale (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Rotherham (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 3.95% proposed
Salford (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Sandwell (West Midlands), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Sefton (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Sheffield (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab-Lib Dem-Green: 4.99% proposed
Solihull (West Midlands), Con maj: 4.99% proposed
South Tyneside (NE England), Lab min: 4.95% proposed
St Helens (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Stockport (NW England), Lib Dem min: 4.99% proposed
Sunderland (NE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Tameside (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Trafford (NW England), Lab maj: 7.49% proposed
Wakefield (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Walsall (West Midlands), Con maj: 4.99% proposed
Wigan (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Wirral (NW England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Wolverhampton (West Midlands), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
– Unitary authorities:
Bath & North East Somerset (SW England), Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
Bedford (Eastern England), Con min: 4.99% proposed
Blackburn with Darwen (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Blackpool (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (SW England), Lib Dem-Ind: 4.99% proposed
Bracknell Forest (SE England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Brighton & Hove (SE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Bristol (SW England), Green-Lib Dem: 4.99% confirmed
Buckinghamshire (SE England), Con min: 4.99% proposed
Central Bedfordshire (Eastern England), Ind min: 4.99% proposed
Cheshire East (NW England), Lab-Ind: 4.99% proposed
Cheshire West & Chester (NW England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Cornwall (SW England), Lib Dem-Ind: 4.99% proposed
Cumberland (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Darlington (NE England), Lab-Lib Dem: 4.99% confirmed
Derby (East Midlands), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Dorset (SW England), Lib Dem-Green: 4.99% confirmed
Durham (NE England), Ref maj: 1.99% confirmed
East Riding of Yorkshire (Yorkshire & Humber), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Halton (NW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Hartlepool (NE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Herefordshire (West Midlands), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Hull City (Yorkshire & Humber), Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
Isle of Wight (SE England), Ind-Green: 4.99% proposed
Isles of Scilly (SW England), Ind: tbc
Leicester (East Midlands), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Luton (Eastern England), Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
Medway (SE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Middlesbrough (NE England), Lab maj: 2.00% confirmed
Milton Keynes (SE England), Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
North East Lincolnshire (Yorkshire & Humber), Con min: 4.50% confirmed
North Lincolnshire (Yorkshire & Humber), Con maj: 4.99% proposed
North Northamptonshire (East Midlands), Ref maj: 4.99% confirmed
North Somerset (SW England), Lab-Lib Dem-Green-Ind: 8.99% confirmed
North Yorkshire (Yorkshire & Humber), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Northumberland (NE England), Con min: 4.99% confirmed
Nottingham (East Midlands), Lab maj: 3.50% proposed
Peterborough (Eastern England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Plymouth (SW England), Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
Portsmouth (SE England), Lib Dem min: 4.99% proposed
Reading (SE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Redcar & Cleveland (NE England), Lab min: 4.99% proposed
Rutland (East Midlands), Lib Dem min: 2.00% proposed
Shropshire (West Midlands), Lib Dem maj: 8.99% proposed
Slough (SE England), Con min: 4.99% proposed
Somerset (SW England), Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
South Gloucestershire (SW England), Lib Dem-Lab: 4.99% confirmed
Southampton (SE England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Southend-on-Sea (Eastern England), Lab-Lib Dem-Ind: 4.99% proposed
Stockton-on-Tees (NE England), Lab min: 4.95% confirmed
Stoke-on-Trent (West Midlands), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Swindon (SW England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Telford & Wrekin (West Midlands), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Thurrock (Eastern England), Lab maj: 4.99% proposed
Torbay (SW England), Con min: 4.75% proposed
Warrington (NW England), Lab maj: 7.48% proposed
West Berkshire (SE England), Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
West Northamptonshire (East Midlands), Ref maj: 4.95% proposed
Westmorland & Furness (NW England), Lib Dem maj: 4.99% proposed
Wiltshire (SW England), Lib Dem-Ind: 4.99% proposed
Windsor & Maidenhead (SE England), Lib Dem maj: 7.49% proposed
Wokingham (SE England), Lib Dem maj: tbc
York (Yorkshire & Humber), Lab maj: 4.99% confirmed
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