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Scotland · all 32 councils · bands A to H

Council tax bands in Scotland: 2026/27 prices

Enter your postcode and see what every band costs where you live, with water and waste water included, which most figures leave out. Scotland only: the bands and rates here do not apply in England or Wales.

What this means

Council tax is worked out from a band, which depends on your property, and a rate, which your council sets.

Your bill also includes water and waste water. That is Scottish Water's charge, not the council's, but it arrives on the same bill, and at Band A it is £434.88 a year on its own.

On a low income you may pay a lot less. I explain how below.

Need the rules as well as the price? Read the plain-English guide to bands, discounts, reductions, appeals and arrears.

Read this before you compare anywhere else

Your water bill is inside your council tax

In Scotland you do not get a separate water bill. Scottish Water charges you for water and for taking waste water away, and your council collects it on the same bill as your council tax.

Band A, the most common band in Scotland

£435

a year of water charges, £201.30 for water and £233.58 for waste water

Band D, the standard comparison band

£652

a year of water charges, £301.95 for water and £350.37 for waste water

This is why other websites give you a lower number. They quote the council tax and leave the water out. Every figure on this site includes it.

If you get you can also get up to 35% off the water charges. That is the , and your council applies it for you. Charges shown are 2026-27.

Or pick your council:

What changed this year

Where Band D council tax rose most

All 32 councils increased their council tax for 2026/27. At Band D, the rise runs from 4% in City of Edinburgh to 10% in Aberdeenshire.

This comparison is council tax only: it compares 2025-26 with 2026-27. Scottish Water sets its own charges, so water is not included in any council rise shown below. These are the ten largest rises; the article underneath lists all 32.

1. Aberdeenshire+£153.28£1,532.76 → £1,686.04 · 10%2. Moray+£157.38£1,573.76 → £1,731.14 · 10%3. Argyll and Bute+£157.69£1,625.64 → £1,783.33 · 9.7%4. East Dunbartonshire+£151.97£1,599.70 → £1,751.67 · 9.5%5. Angus+£137.13£1,461.52 → £1,598.65 · 9.4%6. Midlothian+£149.96£1,666.20 → £1,816.16 · 9%7. Perth and Kinross+£136.80£1,537.04 → £1,673.84 · 8.9%8. Falkirk+£138.32£1,576.77 → £1,715.09 · 8.8%9. Stirling+£141.09£1,611.78 → £1,752.87 · 8.8%10. Scottish Borders+£126.80£1,491.72 → £1,618.52 · 8.5%

Read the plain-English breakdown of Scotland's 2026/27 council tax rises.

Straight answers

Questions people ask

How do I find out my council tax band?

Your band belongs to the property, not the postcode, and only the Scottish Assessors hold it. You can look it up free on the Scottish Assessors Association website. Most flats and smaller homes in Scotland are Band A to C.

Does council tax include water charges in Scotland?

Yes. Water and waste water charges are set by Scottish Water but collected on your council tax bill. They are a large part of it, £434.88 a year at Band A, and most figures published online leave them out.

Can I pay less council tax?

Possibly. cuts the bill for people on a low income, and anyone receiving it can get up to 35% off the water charges as well. An adult living alone gets a 25% single person discount. Both are applied for through your council and both are free to apply for.

Why is council tax different in each council area?

Each of Scotland's 32 councils sets its own Band D rate, and every other band is a fixed proportion of it. Band A is two thirds of Band D; Band H is about two and a half times it. So the same size of home costs different amounts in different council areas.

What months are free of council tax?

Most Scottish councils spread the bill over 10 instalments from April to January, so February and March have no payment. That is not a discount. The same total is collected in ten payments rather than twelve. You can usually ask your council to spread it over 12 months instead, which makes each payment smaller.

How is council tax calculated?

Two things decide it. Your property has a band from A to H, set by the Scottish Assessors from what it was worth in April 1991. Your council then sets a Band D rate each year, and every other band is a fixed fraction of that: Band A is 240/360 of Band D, Band C is 320/360, Band H is 882/360.

How much is council tax a month in Scotland?

It depends on your band and council. Including water, Band A runs from £117.82 to £137.14 a month across Scotland. Band D runs from £176.73 to £205.71. The postcode lookup gives your council's exact figures.

How much did council tax rise in Scotland in 2026/27?

There is no single Scottish rise because each council sets its own rate. Band D council tax rose in all 32 areas, from 4% in City of Edinburgh to 10% in Aberdeenshire. Those percentages exclude Scottish Water, which sets its own separate charges.

Where these figures come from

Council tax figures for 2025-26 and 2026-27 are the complete official sets for all 32 councils. Water and waste water are separate 2026-27 charges published by Scottish Water.