Last reviewed: May 2026
Quick answer: South Cambridgeshire District Council bills you, but the figure on your bill is the sum of the district's charge, Cambridgeshire County Council's precept, the police and fire precepts and any parish precept.South Cambridgeshire is a two-tier area: the district is responsible for some services (waste, recycling, planning, leisure, housing benefit, Council Tax billing) and Cambridgeshire County Council is responsible for others (education, adult and children's social care, libraries, roads, public health).
The district covers a ring of villages around Cambridge city, including Histon, Sawston, Cottenham, Cambourne, Linton and Melbourn. Cambridge City itself has its own separate district council. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority adds another layer of devolved governance but does not levy a separate Council Tax precept on bills.
| 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. South Cambridgeshire bills, but the cash amount per band is the sum of district, county, police, fire and parish precepts.
How South Cambridgeshire Council Tax is set for 2026-27
The cash amount on your bill is made up of decisions taken separately by the district, the county, the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority and your parish or town council. The county precept is the largest single component of most bills.
South Cambridgeshire District Council approves its own portion at a full council meeting in February. The county and the police and fire commissioners approve their precepts at the same time. Parish and town councils set their precepts at their annual meetings.
The district then adds all these together for each band, using the national 6/9 to 18/9 schedule, and the result is the figure on your bill.
Council Tax bands A to H in South Cambridgeshire
The Valuation Office Agency assigns every home in England to one of eight bands, A through H, based on its value in April 1991. South Cambridgeshire 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 South Cambridgeshire 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 South Cambridgeshire Council Tax
Most South Cambridgeshire District 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 South Cambridgeshire District 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. South Cambridgeshire District Council must agree provided you ask before the bill year starts in April.
Discounts and Council Tax Support in South Cambridgeshire
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 South Cambridgeshire District 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. South Cambridgeshire District 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.
Parish precepts and the Greater Cambridge context
South Cambridgeshire is heavily parished: most villages in the district have either a parish council, a town council (such as Sawston, Cambourne, Linton, Melbourn) or a parish meeting. Each parish or town council with its own precept agrees the amount at its annual meeting and the district adds it to the bill of residents in the parish.
Cambourne, the planned new settlement, has a town council covering the modern development and is one of the larger parish-level precepts in the district. Older villages with smaller populations raise much less.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority deal with strategic transport, housing and skills funding across South Cambridgeshire and the surrounding area. Neither charges a separate Council Tax precept; their funding comes from central government grants and business rates retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cambridge City billed by South Cambridgeshire District Council?
No. Cambridge City Council is a separate district inside the Cambridgeshire County Council area. South Cambridgeshire District Council covers the surrounding ring of villages.
Why is the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough fire precept on my bill?
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority is a stand-alone fire authority that covers the historic Cambridgeshire area and Peterborough. The precept is set each February and the district collects it on the same bill as a billing convenience.
Does the Combined Authority charge Council Tax in South Cambridgeshire?
No. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority does not levy a separate Council Tax precept on bills. Its funding comes from central government grants and business rates retention.
How do I apply for Council Tax Support in South Cambridgeshire?
Apply through South Cambridgeshire District Council's online Council Tax Support form. Provide income, savings, household details and benefits information. Working age and pensioner schemes differ.
Can I challenge my South Cambridgeshire 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. South Cambridgeshire-specific arrangements (parishing, fire authority, combined authority) verified against South Cambridgeshire District Council budget papers and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Order 2017.