New Forest council tax 2026/27
Council tax in New Forest (South East) is £2,420 a year at Band D for 2026/27, ranging from £1,613 at Band A to £4,840 at Band H. That is £28.24 (1.2%) above the England average Band D of £2,392, a Gera Council Tax Index of 101, ranked 163 of 296 English billing authorities. Source: MHCLG, 2026/27.
Source: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (MHCLG). As of . Updated annually · last updated .
Band D charge
£2,420
per year, 2026/27
Gera Council Tax Index
101
100 = England average
National Band D rank
163/296
1 = most expensive
New Forest’s Band D council tax is £28.24 (1.2%) above the England average Band D of £2,392 (GCTI 101). It ranks 163 of 296 English billing authorities by Band D charge and 41 of 64 in South East — among the cheaper half of English billing authorities, with 133 authorities charging less at Band D.
New Forest council tax bands A–H, 2026/27
| Band | 1991 property value | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|
| Band A | Up to £40,000 | £1,613.17 |
| Band B | £40,001 – £52,000 | £1,882.04 |
| Band C | £52,001 – £68,000 | £2,150.90 |
| Band DREFERENCE | £68,001 – £88,000 | £2,419.76 |
| Band E | £88,001 – £120,000 | £2,957.48 |
| Band F | £120,001 – £160,000 | £3,495.21 |
| Band G | £160,001 – £320,000 | £4,032.93 |
| Band H | Over £320,000 | £4,839.52 |
*Per-month figure is the annual charge ÷ 12 (councils usually bill over 10 instalments, so monthly direct-debit amounts are higher). Bands A–H are derived from the real £2,420 Band D charge using the statutory proportions (A = 6/9 … H = 18/9), fixed by the Local Government Finance Act 1992. A parish precept, where one applies, is added on top. Source: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (MHCLG).
The average council tax per dwelling in New Forest is £2,194 a year — lower than the £2,420 Band D charge because most homes sit below Band D and many households claim discounts (such as the 25% single-person discount). Source: MHCLG, 2026/27.
New Forest council tax — FAQ
How much is council tax in New Forest for 2026/27?
New Forest's Band D council tax is £2,420 a year for 2026/27 — the total charge including the county, police, fire and any adult-social-care precepts. Bands run from £1,613 (Band A) to £4,840 (Band H). The average bill per dwelling in New Forest is £2,194, which reflects the mix of property bands and any discounts. Source: MHCLG, 2026/27.
What are all the council tax bands in New Forest?
For 2026/27 in New Forest: Band A £1,613, Band B £1,882, Band C £2,151, Band D £2,420, Band E £2,957, Band F £3,495, Band G £4,033, Band H £4,840. These are derived from the real Band D charge using the statutory band proportions (A = 6/9 of Band D up to H = 18/9), fixed by the Local Government Finance Act 1992. A parish precept, where one applies, is added on top.
Is New Forest council tax high compared to the rest of England?
New Forest's Band D charge of £2,420 is £28.24 (1.2%) above the England average Band D of £2,392 — a Gera Council Tax Index of 101 (100 = the England average). It ranks 163 of 296 English billing authorities by Band D (rank 1 = the most expensive), putting it among the cheaper half of English billing authorities, and 41 of 64 in South East. Source: MHCLG, 2026/27.
What is the average council tax bill per dwelling in New Forest?
The average council tax per dwelling in New Forest is £2,194 a year for 2026/27. This differs from the £2,420 Band D charge because it averages across every band of property and reflects discounts and exemptions (such as the 25% single-person discount). Source: MHCLG council tax statistics, 2026/27.
How can I lower my council tax bill in New Forest?
Check you are in the right band (you can challenge your band with the Valuation Office Agency if comparable homes are in a lower band), claim the 25% single-person discount if you live alone, apply for Council Tax Support if you are on a low income, and check exemptions for students, severe mental impairment, and empty-property rules. New Forest sets the local scheme; contact your council to apply.
Moving in South East?
Council tax follows the property, not the person — so it pays to know the band before you move. When you do move, book a vetted GeraHome cleaner, removals team or handyman to make the new place ready.
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Method & sources
Per-band figures (A to H) are derived from the real total Band D charge using the band proportions fixed in law by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, s.5(1): A = 6/9, B = 7/9, C = 8/9, D = 9/9, E = 11/9, F = 13/9, G = 15/9, H = 18/9 of Band D. Every property in England is placed in one of these eight bands based on its 1 April 1991 value. This is a legal arithmetic transform of the published Band D charge, not estimated data. Your actual bill also reflects any parish precept for your specific parish and any discounts (for example the 25% single-person discount) or exemptions you qualify for.
The Gera Council Tax Index (GCTI) re-expresses each authority’s real 2026/27 Band D charge as a ratio to the England average Band D (£2,391.52), indexed so that 100 = the England average. GCTI = round(area Band D ÷ England Band D × 100). A GCTI of 110 means the Band D bill in that area is 10% above the England average; 92 means 8% below. The national rank orders all 296 English billing authorities by Band D charge (rank 1 = the highest). Both are pure, reproducible re-expressions of the published MHCLG figures shown on the page — anyone can recompute them.
Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3). Source: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (MHCLG). These are the real published Band D charge and average per dwelling for New Forest; per-band figures are a statutory arithmetic transform, not estimates. Your bill also reflects any parish precept and any discounts or exemptions you qualify for.