Council tax
Council tax bands in Watford 2026/27
- Band D in Watford: £2,447 a year from April 2026
- £245 a month over the usual 10 payments
- £204 a month if you pay over 12
- Band A, the lowest: £1,631 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 — £3.99Watford 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 | £1,631 | £163 | £136 | |
| Band B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £1,903 | £190 | £159 | |
| Band C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £2,175 | £217 | £181 | |
| Band D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £2,447 | £245 | £204 | |
| Band E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £2,990 | £299 | £249 | |
| Band F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £3,534 | £353 | £295 | |
| Band G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £4,078 | £408 | £340 | |
| Band H | Over £320,000 | £4,893 | £489 | £408 |
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 Watford’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 Watford?
- 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.
Watford council tax at a glance
Band D in Watford is £2,447 a year for 2026/27, £55 above the England average of £2,392: the 142nd highest of 296 councils in England, and the 15th highest of 45 in East of England.
That is £103 (4.4%) more than in 2025/26, less than the 4.9% rise across England.
More homes in Watford are in Band C than any other (37%), where the bill is £2,175 a year. 11% of homes are in Bands A or B, against 43% across England.
Most of the bill is not Watford's: of a Band D bill, £1,858 (76%) goes to Hertfordshire County Council and £309 (13%) to Watford council.
Band D in Watford is lower than in 1 of its 6 nearest councils. Barnet has the lowest Band D of them at £2,133 and Harrow the highest at £2,511.
Homes in each band
The darker bar is the most common band in Watford. From the Valuation Office Agency.
Where a Band D bill in Watford goes
Watford 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 Watford
Band D a year in Watford 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 Watford: council tax questions
What are the council tax bands in Watford?
For April 2026 to March 2027, council tax in Watford is £1,631 for Band A, £1,903 for Band B, £2,175 for Band C, £2,447 for Band D, £2,990 for Band E, £3,534 for Band F, £4,078 for Band G, £4,893 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 Watford that brings Band C, the most common band here, from £2,175 to £1,631 a year, and Band D to £1,835. 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 Watford.
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 Watford council.
Check the property
Run a free check on the property before you commit.
Found a home in Watford? 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.