Last reviewed: May 2026
Quick answer: The London Borough of Hackney sets its Band D rate each February under the mayoral model; the rate sits in the middle of the inner London range, with the same GLA precept added as every London borough.The London Borough of Hackney is one of 32 London boroughs and is run by a directly elected mayor and council. This page looks at Council Tax from the borough perspective: how the rate is set, where it sits in the London league table, and how the borough's constitutional setup shapes the process.
For a service-by-service Hackney Council Tax guide (bands, payment, reductions), see the main Hackney Council Tax article on this site. For a London-wide policy explainer, see the article on London Council Tax reform and funding.
| 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. Hackney sets the cash amount per band each February.
Hackney as a London borough: the constitutional setup
Hackney operates under the Local Government Act 2000 mayoral model. The mayor leads the political executive (the cabinet) and proposes the annual budget. The full council debates and votes on the budget in February. The mayor cannot impose a Council Tax rate without a council vote.
As a billing authority Hackney is responsible for setting the Band D rate, scaling the other bands using the national 6/9 to 18/9 schedule, adding the GLA precept set at City Hall, sending out the bills, taking payment, granting discounts and exemptions, and (where necessary) enforcing arrears through the magistrates' court.
The Valuation Office Agency, not Hackney, decides which band each property sits in.
Council Tax bands A to H in Hackney
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.
How Hackney compares with other London boroughs
Inner London boroughs (Hackney among them) have traditionally sat below outer London on Band D because of higher central government grant per head. Hackney typically sits in the middle of the inner London range; Westminster, Wandsworth and the City of London have historically set the lowest Band D rates in England.
The variable part of the London bill is the borough portion (including the adult social care precept). The GLA precept is the same per band in every borough. So a comparison of Hackney with neighbouring Islington, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest or Camden is really a comparison of the borough portions.
The London Councils annual Council Tax briefing pulls all 33 billing authorities into a single table band by band; it is the cleanest source for a like-for-like comparison.
The GLA precept on a Hackney bill
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 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, which gives every London billing authority no choice about the precept.
Each year's GLA budget consultation runs in November and December, with the final budget approved in February. Drafts and final figures are published on london.gov.uk.
How Hackney bills, collects and enforces
Hackney issues bills in March each year, covering 1 April to 31 March. The default arrangement is 10 monthly instalments between April and January; residents can request 12 monthly instalments under the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 by asking in writing before the year starts.
Direct Debit dates are typically the 1st, the 15th or the last working day of the month. Other payment methods include online card payment, automated phone payment, PayPoint at the corner shop and standing order (rare).
Falling behind triggers a 7-day reminder. A second missed payment ends the right to instalments and the whole year becomes payable. After a final notice, Hackney applies for a liability order at the magistrates' court; the order gives access to enforcement agents, attachment of earnings, attachment of benefits and a charging order against the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Hackney have an elected mayor?
Hackney moved to the mayoral model in 2002 under the Local Government Act 2000. Voters chose the model in a referendum. The mayor leads the cabinet and proposes the budget; the full council holds the formal vote on the Council Tax rate.
How does Hackney's Band D compare with other inner London boroughs?
Hackney typically sits in the middle of the inner London range. The London Councils annual Council Tax briefing publishes the side-by-side table once all 33 billing authorities have set rates each February.
Is the GLA precept the same in Hackney as in Bromley?
Yes. The Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires every London borough and the City of London to add the same GLA precept per band to the bill.
Why is there no Greater London Council on my Hackney bill?
The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986. Strategic functions in London were split between central government, the boroughs and joint bodies until the Greater London Authority was created in 2000.
Can Hackney raise Council Tax by any amount?
No. The referendum cap (set centrally each autumn) limits the increase Hackney can make without holding a local referendum. Hackney has, like every English council, stayed within the cap because no council has won a referendum to breach it.
How We Verified This
Hackney constitutional setup verified against the Local Government Act 2000 and Hackney's published constitution. Billing, collection and enforcement framework verified against the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992. GLA precept verified 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