Council tax
Council tax bands in New Forest 2026/27
- Band D in New Forest: £2,420 a year from April 2026
- £242 a month over the usual 10 payments
- £202 a month if you pay over 12
- Band A, the lowest: £1,613 a year
Not sure of your band? Look up an address
Official figures for April 2026 to March 2027 · England · Independent, not a council service
Paying too much council tax? We compare your band with similar homes on your street to see if you could lower your council tax or claim back payments from the council.
Council tax band check — £3.99New Forest council tax by band, 2026/27
| Band | Value in April 1991 | A year | Over 10 months | Over 12 months | Homes here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | Up to £40,000 | £1,613 | £161 | £134 | |
| Band B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,882 | £188 | £157 | |
| Band C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,151 | £215 | £179 | |
| Band D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,420 | £242 | £202 | |
| Band E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,957 | £296 | £246 | |
| Band F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,495 | £350 | £291 | |
| Band G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,033 | £403 | £336 | |
| Band H | Over £320,000 | £4,840 | £484 | £403 |
Explanation of the figures
For two adults, including the average parish charge. Most councils bill in 10 monthly payments, usually April to January; you can ask for 12 instead, which makes each one smaller.
“Homes here” is the share of New Forest’s homes in each band, from the Valuation Office Agency. Bands depend on what a home was worth in April 1991, not today.
Moving to New Forest?
- On Universal Credit or Housing Benefit? Local Housing Allowance for a postcode, the most it pays towards rent.
- Council tax when you move house: who to tell, and when the new bill starts.
- Living alone? The single person discount takes 25% off the bill.
- Renting for the first time? The steps, and what to check before you sign, including the certificates your landlord must give you.
New Forest council tax at a glance
Band D in New Forest is £2,420 a year for 2026/27, £28 above the England average of £2,392: the 134th lowest of 296 councils in England, and the 24th lowest of 64 in South East.
That is £116 (5.1%) more than in 2025/26, more than the 4.9% rise across England.
More homes in New Forest are in Band D than any other (23%), where the bill is £2,420 a year. 23% of homes are in Bands A or B, against 43% across England.
Most of the bill is not New Forest's: of a Band D bill, £1,690 (70%) goes to Hampshire County Council and £346 (14%) to New Forest council.
Band D in New Forest is lower than in 2 of its 6 nearest councils. Fareham has the lowest Band D of them at £2,271 and Isle of Wight the highest at £2,626.
Homes in each band
The darker bar is the most common band in New Forest. From the Valuation Office Agency.
Where a Band D bill in New Forest goes
New Forest council collects the whole bill and passes most of it on: the county council sets the largest part. The council’s share includes the average parish charge and, where it has one, the adult social care precept. Other bands pay the same split.
Council tax near New Forest
Band D a year in New Forest and the nearest councils, highest first. Moving a few miles can change the bill by hundreds of pounds a year for the same band.
The dashed line is the England average Band D, £2,392. Every council in England.
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Renting in New Forest: council tax questions
What are the council tax bands in New Forest?
For April 2026 to March 2027, council tax in New Forest is £1,613 for Band A, £1,882 for Band B, £2,151 for Band C, £2,420 for Band D, £2,957 for Band E, £3,495 for Band F, £4,033 for Band G, £4,840 for Band H, a year. These are the official averages for two adults, including the police, fire and any county or mayor’s share, and the average parish charge.
How much is it if I live alone?
A single adult gets 25% off. In New Forest that brings Band D, the most common band here, from £2,420 to £1,815 a year, and Band D to £1,815. A home where everyone is a full-time student pays nothing.
Check a home’s band: GOV.UK council tax band search, or our guide to council tax bands. Think yours is wrong? How to challenge your band, free. Who pays in a shared house: who pays council tax when renting. Why a bill can differ from these averages, and when charges change: council tax bands in every council. Rents, licensing and the areas people rent in: renting in New Forest.
Where these figures come from
MHCLG council tax levels, 2026/27 and 2025/26; homes in each band from the VOA’s stock of properties (31 March 2026). Open Government Licence v3.0. Averages for the council area, not a bill. Independent, not connected with New Forest council.
Check the property
Run a free check on the property before you commit.
Found a home in New Forest? A free check shows the energy rating, flood risk and crime for the address. Complete RenterCheck adds its council tax band and what the home will really cost each month.