Council Tax Swansea 2026/27 — Band A to H Rates
Council tax rates in Swansea 2026/27
The Band D council tax rate in Swansea for 2026/27 is £2,238 per year (£187 per month). All other bands are a fixed statutory fraction of this rate. Wales has nine bands (A to I), based on 1 April 2003 values.
| Band | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Band A | £1,492/yr | £124/mo |
| Band B | £1,741/yr | £145/mo |
| Band C | £1,989/yr | £166/mo |
| Band D | £2,238/yr | £187/mo |
| Band E | £2,735/yr | £228/mo |
| Band F | £3,233/yr | £269/mo |
| Band G | £3,730/yr | £311/mo |
| Band H | £4,476/yr | £373/mo |
| Band I | £5,222/yr | £435/mo |
The England average Band D for 2026/27 is £2,392. Swansea's Band D rate is below this average.
How to check your Swansea band
Enter any Swansea postcode in our free council tax band checker. You can also check your bill or visit gov.uk/council-tax-bands.
Challenging your Swansea band
A successful challenge saves approximately £497/yr per band — backdated to when you moved in. See our step-by-step guide.
Discounts in Swansea
- Single person discount — 25% off if you live alone
- Student exemption — full-time students are disregarded
- Council Tax Support — means-tested reduction for low incomes
- Disabled Band Reduction — pay at one band below your actual band
Council tax bands in Swansea: all nine bands, A to I
Wales has nine council tax bands, A to I, based on what a property would have sold for on 1 April 2003. Band I, the top band, does not exist in England or Scotland, and Wales applies its own valuation ranges. The charges below are Swansea's 2026/27 amounts before any discounts. They are calculated from the Band D charge of £2,238 using the standard Welsh ratios, so Band A pays 6/9 of Band D and Band I pays 21/9.
| Band | Property value (2003) | Annual charge | Living alone (25% off) | Per month (12 instalments) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | up to £44,000 | £1,492 | £1,119 | £124 |
| Band B | £44,001 to £65,000 | £1,741 | £1,306 | £145 |
| Band C | £65,001 to £91,000 | £1,989 | £1,492 | £166 |
| Band D | £91,001 to £123,000 | £2,238 | £1,679 | £187 |
| Band E | £123,001 to £162,000 | £2,735 | £2,051 | £228 |
| Band F | £162,001 to £223,000 | £3,233 | £2,425 | £269 |
| Band G | £223,001 to £324,000 | £3,730 | £2,798 | £311 |
| Band H | £324,001 to £424,000 | £4,476 | £3,357 | £373 |
| Band I | over £424,000 | £5,222 | £3,917 | £435 |
Band D at £2,238 a year is £154 below the England average of £2,392, although the comparison is not like-for-like because Welsh and English councils set their charges separately and the band structures differ, with Wales revalued in 2003 and England still on 1991 values. Each step up the bands adds £497 from Band D to Band E, and £746 from Band G to Band H.
What affects your band in Swansea
Swansea combines a city centre and coastline with a large area of suburbs and the Gower peninsula, so property values vary widely within the council area. Because bands in Wales rest on 2003 values and there are nine of them, homes in the most desirable coastal locations can fall in the upper bands, while many terraces and older houses sit in the lower ones.
Discounts, exemptions and premiums in Swansea
A household with only one adult living in the property gets a 25% discount. Full-time students, people who are severely mentally impaired and some carers and apprentices are disregarded when counting adults, and a household made up entirely of full-time students is exempt. Check with Swansea Council that these have been applied, as they normally have to be claimed.
Welsh councils can charge a premium of up to 300% on second homes and long-term empty properties, so a Band D second home could in theory cost up to four times the standard charge, although the rate each council applies is its own decision. If you are on a low income, the Council Tax Reduction Scheme in Wales can reduce your bill by up to 100%. A disabled band reduction is also available where a property has been adapted for a disabled resident.
Challenging your band in Swansea
Council tax bands in Wales are set by the Valuation Office Agency, not by Swansea Council. If you believe your home is in the wrong band, you can send a proposal to the VOA, normally within six months of becoming the council tax payer, or later only if there has been a material change to the property or its use. If you disagree with the VOA's decision, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales. Keep paying your bill while the challenge is considered, and bear in mind that a review can also result in a higher band.
GOV.UK and the VOA's online tools show the band of every property in Wales, so you can compare your home with similar ones nearby. The strongest evidence for a challenge is a neighbouring property of the same size, age and type that sits in a lower band.
How Swansea compares
In 2026/27 Band D in Swansea is £2,238, compared with £2,013 in Cardiff and the England average of £2,392. For a wider comparison, see our council tax rates league table, and use the council tax band checker to find your own band.
Sources: GOV.UK council tax bands, the Valuation Office Agency and Swansea Council's published 2026/27 charges.