Is Bristol expensive for council tax?

Bristol ranks 7th highest out of 296 billing authorities in England for Band D. At £2,713.68, Band D in Bristol is £322.16 (13.5%) above the England average of £2,391.52.

How do I check my band in Bristol?

Your band is printed on your council tax bill, or you can look it up free on GOV.UK (search "council tax bands"). Bands are set by the Valuation Office Agency from your property's 1991 value, not by Bristol itself.

Can I pay my Bristol council tax over 12 months?

Yes. The standard is 10 monthly instalments (for Band D in Bristol that's £271.37 each, April to January), but you can ask Bristol to spread the same annual bill over 12 monthly payments instead.

Bristol Council Tax 2026/27

Bristol council tax for 2026/27: Band D is £2,713.68. Band A homes pay £1,809.12 a year and Band H homes £5,427.36. Bristol is the 7th highest of 296 English billing authorities — £322.16 above the England average.

Band A: £1,809.12
Band H: £5,427.36
Official MHCLG figures

Bristol council tax by band — 2026/27

Band	Share of Band D	Per year	Per month	Per instalment (×10)
A	6/9	£1,809.12	£150.76	£180.91
B	7/9	£2,110.64	£175.89	£211.06
C	8/9	£2,412.16	£201.01	£241.22
D	9/9	£2,713.68	£226.14	£271.37
E	11/9	£3,316.72	£276.39	£331.67
F	13/9	£3,919.76	£326.65	£391.98
G	15/9	£4,522.80	£376.90	£452.28
H	18/9	£5,427.36	£452.28	£542.74

Area-average figures from MHCLG's official 2026/27 release — parish precepts are averaged in, so a specific parish bill can differ slightly.

Your bill

Calculate your Bristol bill

Pick your band and add the single-person discount if it applies — the calculator is pre-set to Bristol.

Calculating for Bristol — Band D £2,713.68 for 2026/27. Wrong council? Use the full calculator

Pick your band

Bristol · Band D £2,713.68

Don't know your band? Check it free on GOV.UK

Your discount

I live alone25% single-person discount if you're the only adult in the home

Bristol · Band D

£2,713.68 / year

£226.14Per month (×12)

£271.37Per instalment (×10)

£52.19Per week

That's £322.16 more (13.47% above) than the England average for Band D (£2,391.52).

Most councils collect over 10 monthly instalments (April–January); you can ask yours to spread it over 12 instead. Figures use the official 2026/27 area average for Bristol — parish precepts are averaged in, so a bill for a specific parish can differ slightly.

How Bristol compares

The England average Band D for 2026/27 is £2,391.52. At £2,713.68, Band D in Bristol is £322.16 (13.5%) above the England average of £2,391.52. For a Band D home that works out at £322.16 a year more than the average English bill — before any discounts or reductions.

Similar Band D charges

Councils ranked just either side of Bristol:

Browse all 296 councils

Questions

Bristol council tax — FAQ

The average Band D council tax in Bristol for 2026/27 is £2,713.68. Bands run from A at £1,809.12 to H at £5,427.36. These are the official area-average figures published by MHCLG, including all precepts.