BCP Council Tax Support Scheme 2026-2027

What the 2026-27 Scheme Looks Like

BCP Council reapproved its Local Council Tax Support Scheme for the 2026-27 financial year without structural changes. The core working-age rules — the 20% minimum contribution, the Band C property cap, and the means-tested calculation — carry forward from the unified scheme introduced on 1 April 2019 when Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch merged into a single unitary authority.

What did change is the amount you owe. The average Band D council tax across the conurbation rose to £2,435.58 for 2026-27, a 7.54% increase over the previous year's £2,264.78. HM Government granted BCP Council a bespoke referendum cap of 6.75% — higher than the standard 4.99% for most authorities — made up of a 4.75% core increase and a 2.0% adult social care precept.

That increase ripples through every band:

• Band A: £1,623.72 per year
• Band B: £1,894.34
• Band C: £2,164.96
• Band D: £2,435.58
• Band E: £2,976.82
• Band F: £3,518.06

Because Council Tax Reduction is calculated as a percentage of your net liability, a higher base bill means a higher remaining balance even if your support percentage stays the same.

The Working-Age Rules That Still Apply

If you are working age and not in a protected group, the scheme caps your support at 80% of a Band C equivalent charge. That means two structural limits stack on top of each other:

1. Band C cap — even if your property sits in Band D or above, BCP calculates your eligible liability as though you live in Band C (£2,164.96 per year in 2026-27).
2. 20% minimum contribution — you pay at least 20% of that capped amount, regardless of how low your income is.

For a standard working-age claimant with income at or below their applicable amount, the maximum weekly support on a Band C equivalent property is roughly £33.30 per week (80% of the Band C weekly charge). The remaining £8.33 per week — roughly £433 per year — comes out of pocket.

Protected groups (households receiving disability premiums, carer premiums, the ESA support component, or the UC limited capability for work and work-related activity element) are exempt from both limits and can receive up to 100% support based on their actual property band.

How the Rate Increase Affects Claimants

A 7.54% increase in Band D council tax does not translate to a 7.54% increase in your remaining bill after CTR. The relationship depends on your circumstances:

• If your income has stayed the same, the 20% minimum contribution rises proportionally. On a Band C equivalent, the minimum you pay went from about £403 in 2025-26 to roughly £433 in 2026-27 — an increase of about £30 per year, or about £3.04 per month on a ten-instalment plan.
• If your income rose, the taper eats into a larger excess, reducing your support further.
• If you moved onto Universal Credit mid-year, your award may have changed because BCP recalculates automatically when DWP data feeds update.

The applicable amounts used in the means test are set nationally and tend to rise more slowly than council tax, so working-age claimants often absorb a real-terms increase even when their headline support percentage is unchanged.

Pensioners Under the National Scheme

Pension-age residents are covered by a separate national scheme, not BCP's local rules. The national scheme provides up to 100% support with no minimum contribution and no Band C cap. Applicable amounts for pensioners are updated annually by central government.

If you have reached State Pension age (or your partner has and you are not on Universal Credit as a couple), the local scheme's 20% minimum does not apply to you.

What to Do This Year

If you already receive Council Tax Reduction, check your award notice for the new financial year and report any changes in income, savings, or household composition to BCP Council within 21 days.

If you have never claimed, the application is separate from any DWP benefit claim. You apply directly through BCP Council's online portal at bcpcouncil.gov.uk. The complete step-by-step process walks through eligibility, evidence, and the claim itself.

If the increase has put your bill out of reach even with CTR, BCP Council operates an Exceptional Hardship Payment fund under Section 13A — a discretionary top-up for residents in severe financial difficulty. You can read more about the hardship application process.

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