Last reviewed: May 2026
Quick answer: Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council bills you, but the figure on your bill is the sum of the borough's charge, Staffordshire County Council's precept, the police and fire precepts and any parish precept.Newcastle-under-Lyme Council Tax sits in a two-tier area: the borough is responsible for some services (waste, recycling, planning, leisure, parks, housing benefit, Council Tax billing) and Staffordshire County Council is responsible for others (education, adult and children's social care, libraries, roads, public health).
The two-tier setup means your bill is the sum of the borough's own charge plus precepts from Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Staffordshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority, and (if you live in a parish with its own council) the parish or town council. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is the billing authority, so the bill arrives in its name and you pay it directly.
| 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. Newcastle-under-Lyme bills, but the cash amount per band is set by the borough, the county, the police, the fire authority and the parish (where applicable).
How Newcastle-under-Lyme Council Tax is set for 2026-27
The cash amount on your bill is made up of several decisions:
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council sets the borough portion at a full council meeting in February. Staffordshire County Council sets its precept (the largest single component of most bills in the borough) at the same time. The Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner sets the police precept; the Staffordshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority sets the fire precept. Each town or parish council in the borough that has chosen to raise its own precept agrees the figure at its own annual meeting.
The borough adds all these together for each band, scaling them using the national 6/9 to 18/9 schedule, and the result is the figure on your bill. Newcastle-under-Lyme publishes the full band-by-band breakdown on its "Council Tax charges" page after the February meetings have all taken place.
Council Tax bands A to H in Newcastle-under-Lyme
The Valuation Office Agency assigns every home in England to one of eight bands, A through H, based on its value in April 1991. Newcastle-under-Lyme 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme 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 to pay Newcastle-under-Lyme Council Tax
Most Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council residents pay by Direct Debit because it spreads the bill across the year and stops any reminder letters arriving. You can usually choose between paying on the 1st, the 15th or the last working day of the month, and you can switch between 10 instalments (the default) or 12 instalments.
Other options at Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council include paying online through the council website using a debit or credit card, paying by automated phone line around the clock, paying at a PayPoint with your bill barcode, or sending a cheque with your reference number written on the back.
If you want 12 instalments instead of 10, you have a legal right to ask for it under the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992, as amended. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council must agree provided you ask before the bill year starts in April.
Discounts and Council Tax Support in Newcastle-under-Lyme
The most common discount is the 25 per cent single person discount. If you are the only adult living at the property, you should be paying three-quarters of the full bill. Apply through Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council with proof of who lives at the address.
Council Tax Reduction is the means-tested help available to people on a low income or claiming certain benefits. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council runs its own scheme within the framework set by central government, and the amount of help depends on income, savings, household make-up and whether anyone in the home is disabled or a carer.
Other reductions worth checking: full-time students are disregarded, a property occupied only by under-18s is exempt, a person with a severe mental impairment is disregarded with a GP certificate, and the disability reduction scheme can drop your bill to the band below your current one if a disabled person needs adapted facilities.
Banding, parish precepts, moving and arrears
Parish precepts in the borough vary widely. Some parishes raise only a small amount; others raise enough to fund a clerk, a meeting venue and one or two services such as a play area or community building. The parish precept is broken out separately on your bill so you can see what your own parish is charging.
Tell Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council as soon as you move within or in and out of the borough. Bands and banding disputes go to the Valuation Office Agency. Liability disputes (who pays, discount eligibility) go to the borough first, with the Valuation Tribunal for England as the appeal route.
Falling behind on payments triggers the standard sequence: a 7-day reminder, loss of the right to instalments, summons to magistrates' court for a liability order, then enforcement agents, attachment of earnings or attachment of benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Staffordshire County Council on my Newcastle-under-Lyme bill?
Newcastle-under-Lyme is in a two-tier area. The county council provides services such as education, social care, libraries and highways across the whole of Staffordshire (except in Stoke-on-Trent, which is a unitary authority). The county precept is the largest single component of most bills in the borough.
Why do parish precepts differ within the borough?
Each parish or town council decides its own precept at its annual meeting, based on what it spends on local services and assets. Larger town councils tend to raise more; smaller, rural parishes often raise relatively little.
When does Newcastle-under-Lyme send out the new bill?
Bills are normally posted in March, with the first instalment due on 1 April. Direct Debit payers are taken on their chosen date once the mandate has been updated for the new financial year.
How do I apply for Council Tax Support in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Apply through the borough's online Council Tax Support form. Provide income, savings, household details and benefits information. Working age and pensioner schemes are different and the calculation depends on which applies.
Can I challenge my Newcastle-under-Lyme Council Tax band?
Yes. Contact the Valuation Office Agency. You have six months from first moving in to make a formal proposal. After that, you can ask for an informal review at any time if you have new evidence about the 1991 value of your home.
How We Verified This
Two-tier structure verified against gov.uk and the Local Government Act 1972. Borough billing and parish precept arrangements verified against the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and published Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council budget papers.