Birmingham Council Tax Increase 2026: Band D Rate and What It Means for Your Bill

The 2026/27 Increase: 4.99%

Birmingham City Council raised council tax by 4.99% for the 2026/27 billing year. That's made up of two components: a 2.99% general increase and a 2.00% Adult Social Care Precept.

The headline Band D charge is now £2,353.17. Residents in the parish of Sutton Coldfield pay slightly more at £2,387.93 because of the parish precept.

What Each Band Pays

Council tax bands are calculated as a fraction of the Band D charge. Here's what the 2026/27 rates look like across Birmingham (excluding Sutton Coldfield):

Most Birmingham properties fall in Bands A to C. A Band A property — the lowest — still comes to £1,568.78 per year, or £130.73 per month on a 12-month plan.

How Council Tax Support Reduces the Bill

If your household income is low enough, Birmingham's Council Tax Support scheme can reduce what you actually pay. The local scheme offers two levels of help:

• Protected working-age claimants (eligible disability-premium recipients, ESA claimants with a qualifying disability benefit, carer-premium or Carer Support Payment recipients, war pensioners, and parents caring for a child aged 5 or under): up to 100% reduction. Pension-age claimants are assessed separately under national rules and can also receive up to 100%.
• Standard working-age claimants: up to 80% reduction, leaving a minimum payment of 20% of the bill

For a Band A household on the standard track with income at or below the applicable amount, that 80% cap means a maximum award of £1,255.02 per year — leaving £313.76 to pay. A protected claimant in the same situation could have the entire £1,568.78 covered.

The Automatic Additional Support Award

For 2026/27, Birmingham automatically applies a discretionary Council Tax Support Fund award of up to £25 directly onto the bills of eligible CTS recipients. This shows on your bill as "2026 Additional Support Award." You don't need to apply separately — if you're receiving CTS, the council adds it.

What to Do If the Increase Hits Hard

If you're not already claiming Council Tax Support, check whether you qualify. The scheme is means-tested: working-age applicants with capital over £16,000 are generally disqualified, while capital between £6,000 and £16,000 can affect their award. Pension-age rules differ, and Guarantee Pension Credit waives the capital limit. Your household income must also be at or below the applicable amount to receive the maximum award.

Apply through Birmingham's Citizen Access Portal at birmingham.gov.uk/CTS. An award normally takes effect on the Monday after Birmingham receives your written application; if you apply in the same benefit week that your Council Tax liability starts, it takes effect from the date the liability began. Working-age backdating is limited to one calendar month before the written request is received and requires good cause throughout the requested period.

If you already receive CTS but the 20% minimum payment is unaffordable, you can apply for a discretionary hardship payment — a separate pot of additional relief for households in acute financial difficulty.

The Birmingham Council Tax Reduction Guide breaks down the full 2026/27 scheme rules, including the means test calculation, non-dependant deductions, and how to apply for hardship relief.

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