Council tax increase Scotland: every council's rise in 2026/27
Every council raised its rate, but not by the same amount: from 4% to 10% at Band D. This compares last year's council tax with this year's, and keeps Scottish Water's separate charge out of the figures.
By Graeme · Published 2 August 2026 · 6 min read
Last updated
Quick answer · Council tax increase Scotland 2026/27, Band D
4% to 10%depending on the council
All 32 councils raised council tax. The smallest rise was in Edinburgh and the largest in Aberdeenshire and Moray. Half the councils raised Band D by more than 7.8%.
- Edinburgh
- +£62.54 a year (4%)
- Glasgow
- +£95.00 a year (5.9%)
- Aberdeenshire
- +£153.28 a year (10%)
- Moray
- +£157.38 a year (10%)
2025/26 to 2026/27, council tax onlySource Scottish Government
On this page
All 32 Scottish councils increased council tax in 2026/27. The Band D rise ranges from 4% in City of Edinburgh to 10% in Aberdeenshire and Moray, and half the councils raised Band D by more than 7.8%, about £120 a year. There is no single rate for the whole country because each council sets its own charge.
Council tax increase Scotland 2026: the short answer
In Aberdeenshire, Band D council tax went from £1,532.76 to £1,686.04. That is £153.28 more a year, the joint largest percentage rise at 10%.
The smallest percentage rise was in City of Edinburgh: £1,563.51 to £1,626.05, an increase of £62.54 or 4%.
These are council tax rises, not whole bill rises
Scottish Water also changed its charges for 2026/27. That money is collected on the same bill, but the council does not set it. Every comparison below excludes water so the council figure is not made to look larger than it is.
Every Scottish council compared
Band D is used because it is the standard council tax comparison. Every other band is a fixed proportion of Band D, so the percentage rise is almost identical across Bands A to H. Tiny differences can appear because bills are rounded to the nearest penny.
Band D council tax
Annual rise
Council tax rises in Scotland by band
The percentage rise is the same in every band of a council, but the cash rise is not. A Band A home pays two thirds of the Band D charge, so its rise is two thirds as big. Larger homes in higher bands see the biggest cash increases.
2025-26 to 2026-27
The smallest and largest cash rise in each band
| Band | Smallest rise | Largest rise | Largest, a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | £41.69, Edinburgh | £105.13, Argyll and Bute | £8.76 |
| Band B | £48.65, Edinburgh | £122.64, Argyll and Bute | £10.22 |
| Band C | £55.59, Edinburgh | £140.17, Argyll and Bute | £11.68 |
| Band D | £62.54, Edinburgh | £157.69, Argyll and Bute | £13.14 |
| Band E | £82.17, Edinburgh | £207.19, Argyll and Bute | £17.27 |
| Band F | £101.63, Edinburgh | £256.24, Argyll and Bute | £21.35 |
| Band G | £122.48, Edinburgh | £308.80, Argyll and Bute | £25.73 |
| Band H | £153.22, Edinburgh | £386.34, Argyll and Bute | £32.20 |
What the percentages mean
The percentage tells you how much the same council tax band changed between the two published years. The cash figure often makes the effect easier to understand: it is the extra council tax due over a full year before any discount or is applied.
It is not an based on a council announcement. Both sides of the comparison come from the Scottish Government's national council tax by band workbooks, using the amounts reported by the 32 local authorities.
Why Scottish Water is separate
Most households see council tax, water and waste water on one document. The council collects all three, but Scottish Water sets the water charges. Adding a water increase to a council's increase would blame the council for a price it did not choose.
The council tax checker therefore shows both views: the council tax rise on its own, then the current council tax and current Scottish Water charges combined into the amount that appears on the bill.
Council tax 2027/28: when the next rise is set
Councils set their 2027/28 council tax at budget meetings in February and early March 2027, once the Scottish Budget has set their funding. Bills for the new year arrive from March. I will add every council's 2027/28 rise here once the national figures are published.
Help if the increase is hard to pay
A higher rate does not have to mean a higher bill for everyone. Check these first:
- Council Tax Reduction can take up to 100% off the council tax part of the bill on a low income.
- The single person discount takes 25% off if only one adult lives in the home.
- Households on also get up to 35% off water charges, applied automatically.
- If your band looks wrong for your home, check your council tax band before you think about an appeal.
If you have already fallen behind, contact the council before the grow and ask for smaller instalments.
Check your own band and council
A national ranking cannot tell you your bill. Your council area sets the rate and your property's band sets the share of that rate. Enter your postcode to find the council, then choose the band shown on your bill or on the Scottish Assessors website.
See last year, this year and the full bill
Enter your postcode to find the right council. Every band shows the old council tax, the new council tax, the cash and percentage rise, and Scottish Water separately.
Check my council tax
