Greenwich Council Tax Rates 2026/27: Bands, Increase and Bill Explained

Greenwich Council approved a 4.99% council tax increase for the 2026/27 financial year — 2.99% for general council services and a 2.00% adult social care precept. That decision was confirmed by Full Council on 26 February 2026, and it's now baked into the demand notices that landed on doormats in March.

Here's what the increase actually means in pounds, how the bands work, and what you can do about it.

What the 4.99% Increase Looks Like by Band

Council tax in England is set by valuation band. Your band was determined by the Valuation Office Agency based on your property's estimated value as of 1 April 1991. Greenwich's charge is the sum of three elements: the Royal Borough of Greenwich's own charge, the Greater London Authority (GLA) precept, and any parish charges.

The 4.99% applies to the Greenwich element. The GLA precept is set separately by the Mayor of London. Your total bill is both combined.

For a Band D property — the reference point councils use — the Greenwich element for 2026/27 increased by roughly £70–80 over the previous year. Lower bands pay proportionally less, higher bands proportionally more:

• Band A: 6/9 of the Band D rate
• Band B: 7/9 of the Band D rate
• Band C: 8/9 of the Band D rate
• Band D: the reference rate
• Band E: 11/9 of the Band D rate
• Band F: 13/9 of the Band D rate
• Band G: 15/9 of the Band D rate
• Band H: 18/9 (double) the Band D rate

Most Greenwich properties fall in Bands C to E. The exact figure for your band appears on your annual demand notice, broken down into the Greenwich and GLA components.

Reading Your Council Tax Bill

Your demand notice shows several lines that are worth understanding:

1. Gross charge: the full annual council tax for your property band
2. Discounts applied: any reductions already on your account — Single Person Discount (25%), student exemptions, disability band reduction, etc.
3. Council Tax Reduction: if you have an active CTR award, the weekly amount credited to your account appears here, annualised
4. Net charge: what you actually owe for the year
5. Instalment plan: typically 10 monthly payments from April. You can request 12 months instead — details here

If something looks wrong — a discount that should be there isn't, or the CTR amount doesn't match your decision letter — contact Greenwich Council's billing team at 020 8921 4900.

Why the Increase Hits CTR Recipients Harder

Working-age residents receiving Council Tax Reduction in Greenwich pay at least 20% of their bill after CTR. When the total bill rises by 4.99%, that 20% minimum rises too. If your CTR covers the maximum 80%, you absorb the full 4.99% increase on your 20% share — in cash terms, that's a larger percentage increase on the amount you actually pay out of pocket.

For example, if your annual bill was £1,500 and CTR covered £1,200 (80%), you paid £300. A 4.99% increase takes the bill to roughly £1,575. CTR now covers £1,260, but your share rises to £315 — a £15 increase, which is a 5% jump on a payment that was already stretched.

If that increase makes the remaining bill unaffordable, the Greenwich Hardship Fund can reduce it further. The fund has a £200,000 allocation for 2026/27 and is specifically designed for residents who already receive CTR but still struggle with the 20% minimum.

Is Your Band Correct?

The 4.99% increase magnifies the cost of being in the wrong band. If your property's value in 1991 would have placed it in a lower band, you might be overpaying every year — and the gap compounds with each increase.

You can check your band for free at the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) website and compare it against similar properties on your street. If you believe your band is too high, you can challenge it directly with the VOA at no cost. The official challenge route is free — you don't need a commercial band-challenge firm, though some operate on a "no refund, no fee" basis taking 25–30% plus VAT of any saving.

If a band challenge succeeds, the reduction is backdated. Combined with the disability band reduction scheme (if you have adaptations for a disabled resident), correcting your band can make a material difference to what you owe.

What You Can Do About the Bill

The increase itself is fixed — you can't opt out. But you can check that you're getting every reduction available:

• Council Tax Reduction: up to 80% for working-age, 100% for pension-age
• Single Person Discount: 25% if you're the only countable adult
• Disability reductions: SMI exemption, disability band reduction, care leaver discount
• 12-month instalment spread: request this from the billing team to lower monthly payments

Our Greenwich Council Tax Reduction guide covers the full calculation — how the 80% cap, 25% taper, and non-dependant deductions interact with your band — so you can see exactly what you should be paying after the increase.

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