Last reviewed: May 2026
Quick answer: Council Tax in Leicestershire is run by the seven district councils in the county area plus the Leicester City and Rutland unitary authorities; the county precept appears on the bills of the seven shire districts but not on Leicester City or Rutland bills.Council Tax in Leicestershire involves three different kinds of authority. Leicestershire County Council covers the shire area through a precept added to district bills. The seven district councils (Blaby, Charnwood, Harborough, Hinckley and Bosworth, Melton, North West Leicestershire and Oadby and Wigston) are the billing authorities for the shire area. Leicester City and Rutland are unitary authorities and run their own bills separately.
This article sets out who bills whom, how the precepts stack up, and where Leicester City and Rutland differ.
| Band | Property Value (1991) | Ratio to Band D |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | 6/9 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | 7/9 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | 8/9 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | 9/9 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | 11/9 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | 13/9 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | 15/9 |
| H | Over £320,000 | 18/9 |
Band ranges set nationally in 1991. The cash amount per band is the sum of all precepting bodies in your part of Leicestershire.
The Leicestershire shire area: seven districts and a county
The seven shire districts (Blaby, Charnwood, Harborough, Hinckley and Bosworth, Melton, North West Leicestershire and Oadby and Wigston) are the billing authorities for residents in their areas. Each district issues the bill, takes payment, runs Council Tax Support locally and enforces arrears.
Leicestershire County Council sets a precept added to every shire district bill. The county precept is the largest single component of most bills, because the county is responsible for education, social care, libraries, highways, public health and Leicestershire Trading Standards.
The Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner sets the police precept; the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire Authority sets the fire precept; parish and town councils that have chosen to raise their own precepts agree the figures at their annual meetings.
Council Tax bands A to H in Leicestershire
The Valuation Office Agency assigns every home in England to one of eight bands, A through H, based on its value in April 1991. Leicestershire then sets a Band D rate; every other band is a fixed fraction of Band D.
Band A is 6/9ths of Band D, Band B is 7/9ths, Band C is 8/9ths, Band E is 11/9ths, Band F is 13/9ths, Band G is 15/9ths and Band H is 18/9ths. This ratio is fixed by central government and applies the same way in Leicestershire as it does in any other English billing authority.
To check your band, look up your address on the Valuation Office Agency search tool, or use the band shown on your annual bill. If you think the band is wrong because of evidence about your property in 1991, you have a narrow window to challenge it once you first move in.
Leicester City: a unitary authority outside the county
Leicester City Council is a unitary authority, not part of the Leicestershire County Council area. The city council is the full-service local authority for the city: education, social care, housing, waste, planning, roads.
Leicester City bills its residents directly. The bill shows the city council's own charge, the adult social care precept, the Leicestershire Police precept and the Combined Fire Authority precept. The Leicestershire County Council precept does not appear because the city is outside the county area.
This means residents on either side of the city boundary can pay quite different bills, even for similar properties in the same band.
Rutland: the smallest English unitary
Rutland Council is a unitary authority covering the historic county of Rutland (Oakham, Uppingham and the surrounding villages). It is the smallest unitary authority in England by population.
Rutland bills its residents directly. The bill shows Rutland Council's own charge, the adult social care precept, the Leicestershire Police precept and the Combined Fire Authority precept. The Leicestershire County Council precept does not appear because Rutland is outside the county area.
Despite the geographic and historic links between Rutland and Leicestershire, the two are separate billing authorities.
Discounts and Council Tax Support across Leicestershire
The 25 per cent single person discount applies in every Leicestershire authority. Apply through whichever council is your billing authority (district, Leicester City or Rutland).
Council Tax Support schemes are designed locally within the central government framework. Each of the seven districts, plus Leicester City and Rutland, runs its own scheme. The schemes share the same legal basis but the detail (income disregards, maximum awards, non-dependant deductions) varies. Check the scheme that applies in your billing authority.
The full-time student disregard, the severely mentally impaired disregard, the disability reduction scheme and the standard exemptions apply across all authorities in the county.
Where to get further help and how to escalate
If the council cannot resolve your Council Tax issue through its own complaints process, you can escalate to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, an independent body that investigates complaints about local councils. The Ombudsman is free to use and does not require legal representation.
For independent debt advice on Council Tax arrears, free help is available from Citizens Advice (national phone line, webchat and in-person service), National Debtline (free phone line and webchat run by the Money Advice Trust) and StepChange (free phone line and online advice). All three can speak to the council on your behalf with your written authority.
For premium-rate phone number complaints, the Phone-paid Services Authority handles regulation of premium rate services in the UK. For Council Tax scams or fraudulent demands, report to Action Fraud, the UK national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Leicester City in Leicestershire for Council Tax?
No. Leicester City has been a unitary authority outside Leicestershire County Council since 1997. The city has its own Council Tax bill and the county precept does not appear.
Is Rutland in Leicestershire for Council Tax?
No. Rutland Council is a separate unitary authority. The Leicestershire Police and the Combined Fire Authority cover Rutland, but the county council does not.
Which is the largest precept on a Leicestershire shire district bill?
The Leicestershire County Council precept. It is the largest single component on most shire bills because of the cost of education, adult social care, children's services and highways.
Do all seven Leicestershire districts charge the same?
No. Each district sets its own district portion, which varies. The county precept, police precept and fire precept are the same per band across the seven districts; the district portion and the parish precept can vary by address.
Why does the Combined Fire Authority cover Leicester and Rutland too?
The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire Authority was set up under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 to provide a single service across the historic fire and rescue area, even though the local authorities are now separate.
How We Verified This
Two-tier and unitary distinctions verified against gov.uk, the Local Government Act 1972 and the unitary authority orders for Leicester (1996) and Rutland (1996). Combined Fire Authority verified against the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004.