Council Tax Band Checker: Check Your Band for Free
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Every home in England, Wales and Scotland has a council tax band that decides your bill, and you can look yours up for free in under a minute using the official checker for your nation. This guide links straight to each one, sets out the band values for every nation, and covers Northern Ireland, which does not use council tax bands at all.
Key points
✓Checking your council tax band is free and takes under a minute: use gov.uk/council-tax-bands in England and Wales, or the Scottish Assessors Association portal (saa.gov.uk) in Scotland.
✓Your band is fixed to a valuation from 1 April 1991 in England and Scotland, or 1 April 2003 in Wales. It has nothing to do with what your home is worth today.
✓England has 8 bands (A to H), Wales has 9 (A to I), and Scotland has 8 (A to H), each nation with different value thresholds.
✓Northern Ireland does not use council tax bands. Homes there pay domestic rates based on the property's capital value instead, checked on a different tool.
✓The checker only shows your current band. It does not change anything, if you think your band is wrong you need to submit a separate challenge.
How to check your council tax band
Which tool you use depends on where the property is:
✓Yes: England and Wales: go to gov.uk/council-tax-bands and enter the property's address or postcode
✓Yes: Scotland: go to saa.gov.uk (the Scottish Assessors Association portal) and search by address or postcode
✓Yes: Northern Ireland: there is no council tax band to check, see the Northern Ireland section below instead
✓Yes: Your band is also printed on your annual council tax bill, if you already receive one
Both the England/Wales and Scotland tools are run by the public bodies that actually set the bands, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in England and Wales, and the local Assessor in Scotland, so the result is the official band, not an estimate.
What the checker tool shows you
Enter the address or postcode and the tool returns the property's current band. In England and Wales, the same GOV.UK service also lets you register a change to the property (such as an extension) or start a formal challenge to the band if you think it is wrong, though a challenge needs supporting evidence and is a separate step from the lookup itself.
✓Yes: The band shown is the property's current, official band, not an estimate
✓Yes: Looking up the band does not change it or trigger a review by itself
✓Yes: In England and Wales, the same tool offers a route to challenge the band or report a change to the property
✓Yes: If you cannot find the property, check you have the exact postcode, some new-build addresses take longer to appear
Council tax band values by nation
Each nation sets its own band thresholds, based on a fixed historic valuation date rather than current prices.
England (8 bands, valued at 1 April 1991)
A
Up to £40,000
B
£40,001 to £52,000
C
£52,001 to £68,000
D
£68,001 to £88,000
E
£88,001 to £120,000
F
£120,001 to £160,000
G
£160,001 to £320,000
H
More than £320,000
Wales (9 bands, valued at 1 April 2003)
A
Up to £44,000
B
£44,001 to £65,000
C
£65,001 to £91,000
D
£91,001 to £123,000
E
£123,001 to £162,000
F
£162,001 to £223,000
G
£223,001 to £324,000
H
£324,001 to £424,000
I
More than £424,000
Scotland (8 bands, valued at 1 April 1991)
A
Up to £27,000
B
£27,001 to £35,000
C
£35,001 to £45,000
D
£45,001 to £58,000
E
£58,001 to £80,000
F
£80,001 to £106,000
G
£106,001 to £212,000
H
More than £212,000
Two similar-looking properties can sit in different bands, and two very different-looking ones can sit in the same band, because each band covers a range of values, not a single price.
Northern Ireland: rates instead of bands
Northern Ireland does not have council tax, so there is no band to look up. Homes there pay domestic rates instead, worked out differently: your bill is the property's capital value multiplied by the rate in the pound set for your local council area.
✓Yes: Capital value is based on what the property would have sold for on 1 January 2005, in an average state of repair, not its current price
✓Yes: A newer property is valued by comparing it with similar properties already valued at that 2005 date
✓Yes: You can look up a property's capital valuation for free online, searching by postcode or on a map, using the property valuation search on nidirect
✓Yes: Land & Property Services (LPS), not the Valuation Office Agency, values properties and sets rates in Northern Ireland
If you think a Northern Ireland property's capital valuation is wrong, LPS can review it, this is a separate process from the England/Wales/Scotland band challenge described above.
If your band or valuation looks wrong
The checker only tells you the current band or valuation, it does not review or change it. If you think yours is wrong, for example because a similar neighbouring property sits in a lower band, you need to submit a separate formal challenge with supporting evidence.
For the full process, evidence to gather, and what happens if the challenge is refused, see our full guide to challenging your council tax band. In Northern Ireland, contact LPS directly to ask for a valuation review.
Keep track of your case
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a free council tax band checker?
Yes. In England and Wales, use gov.uk/council-tax-bands and enter the property's address or postcode. In Scotland, use the Scottish Assessors Association portal at saa.gov.uk. Both are run by the public body that actually sets the bands, and both are free.
How do I find my council tax band by postcode?
In England and Wales, enter your postcode at gov.uk/council-tax-bands. In Scotland, enter it on the Scottish Assessors Association portal at saa.gov.uk. Your band is also printed on your council tax bill.
What council tax bands exist in England, Wales and Scotland?
England has 8 bands (A to H) based on 1991 property values, from up to £40,000 (A) to more than £320,000 (H). Wales has 9 bands (A to I) based on 2003 values, from up to £44,000 (A) to more than £424,000 (I). Scotland has 8 bands (A to H) based on 1991 values, from up to £27,000 (A) to more than £212,000 (H).
Does Northern Ireland have council tax bands?
No. Northern Ireland does not have council tax at all. Homes there pay domestic rates instead, calculated from the property's capital value (based on 2005 prices) multiplied by the local rate in the pound. You check this using the property valuation search on nidirect rather than a council tax band checker.
Can I change my council tax band using the checker?
No. The checker only shows you the current band, it does not review or change it. If you think your band is wrong, you need to submit a separate formal challenge with evidence, in England and Wales to the Valuation Office Agency, and in Scotland to your local Assessor.
Know Your Rights UK. "Council Tax Band Checker: Check Your Band for Free." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/council/council-tax-band-checker