Cheapest UK Cities for Council Tax (2024/25)

Ranked by Band D council tax for 2024/25. Lower is better.

By · Updated · Methodology

Ranked, lowest to highest

  1. Glasgow — £1,500/year (Band D)
  2. Aberdeen — £1,575/year (Band D)
  3. Edinburgh — £1,660/year (Band D)
  4. London — £1,950/year (Band D)
  5. Cardiff — £2,005/year (Band D)
  6. Portsmouth — £2,035/year (Band D)
  7. Birmingham — £2,060/year (Band D)
  8. Leeds — £2,070/year (Band D)
  9. Manchester — £2,075/year (Band D)
  10. Milton Keynes — £2,075/year (Band D)
  11. York — £2,090/year (Band D)
  12. Southampton — £2,120/year (Band D)
  13. Cambridge — £2,150/year (Band D)
  14. Sheffield — £2,195/year (Band D)
  15. Leicester — £2,200/year (Band D)

Why Scottish cities dominate the bottom

Scotland's council tax bands were set using 1991 property valuations that have never been revalued, and Scottish Government policy has capped rises for much of the last decade. The result: Glasgow and Aberdeen routinely appear among the cheapest UK Band D figures despite being major cities.

Caveat: Band D isn't what you pay

Band D is the benchmark band. Most properties are A–C (cheaper) or E–H (more expensive). Multiply Band D by the standard ratios to estimate your band: A = 6/9, B = 7/9, C = 8/9, D = 9/9, E = 11/9, F = 13/9, G = 15/9, H = 18/9.

What council tax actually pays for

Council tax funds adult and children's social care, bin collection, road maintenance, libraries, parks, and a portion of local police and fire services. Roughly half of every Band D bill goes to social care alone in most English councils — which is why councils with older or more deprived populations face the largest funding pressures even where their headline rates look mid-range.

Discounts and reductions worth claiming

  • Single Person Discount: 25% off if you're the only adult in the property.
  • Student exemption: full-time students don't count for council tax purposes; an all-student household pays £0.
  • Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI) disregard: a person with a qualifying medical condition can be disregarded — worth thousands per year and frequently un-claimed.
  • Council Tax Reduction: means-tested support if income is low. Each council runs its own scheme.

Related

Council tax explained Most expensive cities by rent All UK city pages