Exeter Council Tax 2026-27: Bands, Rates and Discounts

Council tax bands in Exeter for 2026-27

The table below shows the full 2026-27 charge for every band set by Exeter Council, the monthly amount if you pay over the standard ten instalments, and the figure after the 25% single person discount. Band D is the statutory reference point that every other band is calculated from.

Bands are set on 1 April 1991 property values by the Valuation Office Agency. The figures include county, police, fire and any adult social care precepts; parish precepts vary by area and can add to the total. You can pay over 12 months instead of 10 by asking the council before the year starts, which lowers the monthly figure but not the annual total.

How Exeter compares

Exeter Council sits £103 above the England average band D of £2,392. Over a year a band D household pays £2,495, or about £48 a week.

What makes up a band D bill in Exeter

A council tax bill is rarely just the council. In Exeter the billing authority's own charge, including the adult social care precept where it applies, is £191 of the £2,495 band D total, or 8%. The remaining £2,304 is collected on behalf of major precepting bodies: the police and crime commissioner, the fire authority and, outside unitary and London areas, the county council or the Greater London Authority. Parish and town council precepts are averaged into the local element.

Councils with adult social care responsibilities may add up to 2% a year as a ringfenced precept on top of the 3% core referendum limit, which is why the council's own element can rise faster than the headline cap suggests. Shire districts do not levy the precept; their county council does.

How to pay Exeter Council council tax

Every billing authority offers the same core routes: Direct Debit (usually on a choice of dates, over 10 or 12 months), online card payment through the council's own portal using the account reference on your bill, automated telephone payment, standing order or bank transfer to the council's account, and cash or card at PayPoint or Post Office counters where the bill carries a barcode. Direct Debit is the route councils promote because missed payments are rarer and it qualifies for 12-month spreading. Your council tax reference number is printed at the top right of the paper bill and on any online account you register.

To find the official Exeter Council council tax pages, payment portal and contact routes, use the GOV.UK council finder linked in the sources below rather than a search result: it always resolves to the council's own domain.

Discounts, reductions and exemptions

National rules apply in every area. A household with one adult gets a 25% discount. Full-time students, people under 18, apprentices on low pay, live-in carers and people with a severe mental impairment are disregarded when counting adults, and a property occupied only by disregarded people is usually exempt. Council Tax Reduction (Council Tax Support in some areas) is means tested and administered by Exeter Council itself; it can cut a bill to zero for households on the lowest incomes, including many on Universal Credit. Empty and second homes are treated differently by each council, and many authorities now charge a premium of up to 100% on long-term empty homes and second homes.

Checking or challenging your band

Your band is set by the Valuation Office Agency, not the council. Check it free on GOV.UK. If neighbouring properties of the same size and age sit in a lower band you can ask the VOA for a review; a successful challenge is backdated to when you moved in, but a review can also move a band up.

Arrears and what happens if you miss a payment

A missed instalment triggers a reminder giving seven days to pay. If it is not paid, the right to pay by instalments can be lost and the full annual balance falls due, after which the council can apply for a liability order and use enforcement agents. If you cannot pay, contact Exeter Council before the reminder stage: every authority can set up an arrangement, and Council Tax Reduction can be backdated in some circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

How much is band D council tax in Exeter for 2026-27?

£2,495 a year, which is £250 a month over ten instalments or £208 over twelve.

Has Exeter council tax gone up in 2026?

The council's own element of the bill rose 3.0% for 2026-27; the total band D bill including police, fire and any county precept is £2,495.

How do I pay Exeter Council council tax?

By Direct Debit over 10 or 12 months, online card payment through the council portal with your account reference, automated phone line, bank transfer, or at PayPoint and Post Office counters if your bill has a barcode.

Who gets a discount on council tax in Exeter?

Single adult households get 25% off. Students, under-18s, apprentices, live-in carers and people with a severe mental impairment are disregarded. Low-income households can apply to the council for Council Tax Reduction.

How do I check my council tax band in Exeter?

Free on saa.gov.uk in Scotland or GOV.UK in England and Wales. Enter the postcode and select the property; the band shown is the one the council bills on.