Last reviewed: May 2026
Quick answer: Hackney has historically sat in the lower half of the inner London Band D range, with the same GLA precept added to your bill as every other London borough.Hackney Council Tax is one piece of a wider London picture: 32 boroughs plus the City of London, each setting its own Band D rate, plus a common GLA precept added across the whole capital.
This page looks at Hackney in that comparative context: where its Band D sits relative to neighbours such as Islington, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Camden; what the GLA precept funds; and how to use the published London Councils briefing to make a like-for-like comparison. For a service-by-service Hackney guide, see the main Hackney Council Tax article linked below.
| 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 are nationally fixed; Hackney, like every London borough, sets only the cash amount per band.
How Hackney compares with other London boroughs
London boroughs vary in how much they charge at Band D for several reasons: their grant per head from central government, their council tax base, their reserves position, and political choices about service levels. Inner London boroughs (Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Camden, Lambeth, Southwark) have traditionally sat below outer London on Band D because of higher central grant per head.
Westminster, Wandsworth and the City of London have historically set the lowest Band D figures in England. The highest Band D figures in London are usually in outer boroughs such as Kingston, Harrow and Richmond. Hackney typically sits in the middle of the inner London range.
For exact side-by-side figures, the London Councils Council Tax briefing is published each February and lists all 33 billing authorities band by band.
Band ratios used across London
The Valuation Office Agency assigns every home in England to one of eight bands, A through H, based on its value in April 1991. Hackney 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 Hackney 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.
The GLA precept and how it is added in Hackney
The Greater London Authority precept is the same per band in every London borough. It is set at City Hall each February and funds the Metropolitan Police, the London Fire Brigade, Transport for London's GLA-funded responsibilities and the Mayor of London's central office.
On a Hackney bill the precept shows as a separate line. The Band D rate the GLA sets is then scaled to your band using the same 6/9 to 18/9 ratios that apply to the Hackney portion. The legal basis is the Greater London Authority Act 1999.
Each year's GLA budget consultation runs in November and December, with a final budget approved in February. Both drafts and final figures are published on london.gov.uk.
Inner London vs outer London: what drives the difference
The main drivers are central government grant per head (higher in inner London where deprivation is greater), council tax base (the number and band distribution of properties; outer London has more higher-band stock), service profile (housing stock, social care caseload, school numbers), and political choices about reserves and spend.
Hackney has substantial social housing stock, a large social care caseload and a comparatively young population. The combination tends to keep the Band D rate in the middle of the inner London range rather than at the very bottom.
For the actual side-by-side numbers in any given year, the London Councils briefing is the cleanest source. Hackney's own budget book sets out the year's Band D figure and the previous year for comparison.
Where to find Hackney's actual figures
Hackney's "Council Tax charges" page is updated within a few days of the February budget meeting and lists the Band D rate, the band-by-band amounts, the adult social care precept and the GLA precept. The full budget book sits on the same area of the website.
The London Councils briefing pulls all 33 billing authorities into a single table, which is the easiest way to make a like-for-like comparison. It is published each February once all authorities have set rates.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (or its successor department) also publishes a national Council Tax statistical release each year that includes London at borough level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Hackney charge more than Westminster?
Westminster has an unusually low Band D rate because of its very large business rates base, the historic effect of the 2013 council tax base reset, and political choices about reserves. Hackney has a different mix of properties, a different grant settlement and a different service profile, all of which contribute to a higher Band D rate.
Is the GLA precept on a Hackney bill the same as in Bromley?
Yes. The GLA sets a single precept per band that applies in all 32 London boroughs and the City of London. The same Band D GLA figure shows on every London bill; only the borough portion varies.
How does the adult social care precept fit in?
It is an extra amount that London boroughs (and other English social care authorities) can add on top of their core Council Tax. The cap is set by central government each year. The amount is shown on the bill as part of the borough total, with the social care portion broken out separately.
Where can I see Hackney's rate compared with Camden and Tower Hamlets?
The London Councils Council Tax briefing, published each February, lists all 33 billing authorities band by band, including Hackney, Camden and Tower Hamlets. Each borough also publishes its own band-by-band rates on the council website.
Does the City of London charge Council Tax like the boroughs?
Yes, with a different historical structure. The City of London Corporation is the billing authority for the Square Mile and sets a Band D rate that has traditionally been among the lowest in England. The GLA precept is added to bills there in the same way as in any London borough.
How We Verified This
Comparative framework verified against London Councils' annual Council Tax briefing and DLUHC/MHCLG statistical releases. Band ratios verified against the Local Government Finance Act 1992; GLA precept against the Greater London Authority Act 1999.
Sources
- gov.uk - Council Tax overview
- gov.uk - Council Tax bands and reductions
- gov.uk - Apply for Council Tax Reduction
- Valuation Office Agency - How Council Tax bands are set in England and Wales
- Valuation Tribunal England - Council Tax appeal procedures and decisions
- legislation.gov.uk - Local Government Finance Act 1992