South East councils
- Average Band D
- £2,475.45
- Average change
- +4.8%
- Reading Borough Council
- 57th lowest of 64
- Lowest
- Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council, £1,952.62
- Highest
- Lewes District Council, £2,756.17
Unitary Authority · South East, England
Reading council tax 2026-27
Band D council tax in Reading Borough Council is £2,612.77 for 2026-27, up £125.66 (+5.1%) on 2025-26. That is the 27th highest of 296 English councils.
- Band D 2026-27£2,612.77
- Change on 2025-26£125.66 (+5.1%)
- Rank in England270th of 2961st is the lowest
- Rank in the South East57th of 64
Reading council tax bands for 2026-27
Annual charges for each band. Bands are based on what a home would have sold for on 1 April 1991, not its value today.
| Band | 2026-27 a year | Over 10 months | Value on 1 April 1991 | 2025-26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | £1,741.85 | £174.19 | Up to £40,000 | £1,658.07 | +5.1% |
| Band B | £2,032.15 | £203.22 | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,934.42 | +5.1% |
| Band C | £2,322.46 | £232.25 | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,210.76 | +5.1% |
| Band D | £2,612.77 | £261.28 | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,487.11 | +5.1% |
| Band E | £3,193.39 | £319.34 | £88,001 to £120,000 | £3,039.80 | +5.1% |
| Band F | £3,774.00 | £377.40 | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,592.49 | +5.1% |
| Band G | £4,354.62 | £435.46 | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,145.18 | +5.1% |
| Band H | £5,225.54 | £522.55 | Over £320,000 | £4,974.22 | +5.1% |
These are average charges for the whole council area, including county, police, fire and combined authority amounts and an average of parish and town council charges. Your bill can differ slightly depending on your parish.
Not sure which band your home is in?
Look up the band for a specific address with the free council tax band checker.
How Reading Borough Council compares
Band D in Reading Borough Council is £201.80 above the average across English councils (£2,410.97). Within the South East it is £137.32 above the regional average.
All English councils
- Average Band D
- £2,410.97
- Average change
- +4.8%
- Reading Borough Council
- 270th lowest of 296
- Lowest
- London Borough of Wandsworth, £1,028.21
- Highest
- Dorset Council, £2,765.02
Averages are simple means across councils and are not weighted by the number of homes, so they differ from official average bills.
Councils in the South East with similar charges
Band D for 2026-27, lowest first.
How council tax works in Reading
Reading Borough Council sends one bill that covers its own services and, where they apply, amounts collected for other bodies such as the police, fire service, county council or combined authority. The Band D figure is the reference point: every other band is a fixed fraction of it, so Band A pays 66.7% of Band D and Band H pays 200%.
Most councils let you pay over 10 monthly instalments, and you can usually ask to spread it over 12. Discounts and exemptions can cut the bill: for example, a 25% single person discount if you are the only adult living in the home, and reductions for students, carers and people on low incomes. Check with Reading Borough Council for the schemes it runs.
If you think your home is in the wrong band, you can ask the Valuation Office Agency to review it. A review can move a band down, but it can also move it up.
Reading council tax questions
How much is Band D council tax in Reading?
Band D in Reading Borough Council is £2,612.77 a year for 2026-27, or £261.28 a month over 10 instalments.
How much did council tax go up in Reading?
Band D rose by £125.66 (+5.1%) from £2,487.11 in 2025-26 to £2,612.77 in 2026-27.
What is the cheapest and most expensive band in Reading?
Band A is the cheapest at £1,741.85 a year. Band H is the most expensive at £5,225.54 a year.
Is Reading council tax high compared with other councils?
Reading Borough Council has the 27th highest Band D charge of 296 English councils. The average across English councils is £2,410.97.
How do I find out my council tax band in Reading?
Enter the postcode and address in the free council tax band checker on this site. It checks the Valuation Office Agency list for homes in England and Wales.
Source: MHCLG Table 9, published 25 March 2026. See every council