County Durham Council Tax 2026/2027

Official municipal billing authority: Durham County Council (Unitary Authority) in North East, England. Administering 24 postcode districts under Council Tax (England Statutory 1991 Valuation).

Band D Base Annual£2,622.15100% Consistent Base

YoY Annual Increase+2.21%+£56.70 vs 2025/26

Regional Rank (North East)#2 of 12In North East

Postcodes Monitored24Postcode Districts

Statutory Tariff Table: County Durham

Full annual fees and discounted rates applicable across all 24 outcodes in this authority.

10 & 12 Monthly Direct Debit

Valuation Band	Full Annual (£)	10-Mo Direct Debit	12-Mo Installment	Single Person (-25%)	Single 10-Mo
Band A	£1,748.10	£174.81/mo	£145.68/mo	£1,311.08	£131.11/mo
Band B	£2,039.45	£203.95/mo	£169.95/mo	£1,529.59	£152.96/mo
Band C	£2,330.80	£233.08/mo	£194.23/mo	£1,748.10	£174.81/mo
Band DBenchmark	£2,622.15	£262.22/mo	£218.51/mo	£1,966.61	£196.66/mo
Band E	£3,204.85	£320.49/mo	£267.07/mo	£2,403.64	£240.36/mo
Band F	£3,787.55	£378.76/mo	£315.63/mo	£2,840.66	£284.07/mo
Band G	£4,370.25	£437.03/mo	£364.19/mo	£3,277.69	£327.77/mo
Band H	£5,244.30	£524.43/mo	£437.03/mo	£3,933.23	£393.32/mo

2026/27 Statistical Rank & Regional Benchmark

Deterministic mathematical comparisons against statutory England benchmarks and regional council tax league averages.

Fiscal Year 2026/2027

1. Benchmark & Regional Delta+£230.15vs England average Band D (£2,392)

County Durham Band D is +9.6% higher than the statutory England benchmark. Cumulative 5-year difference: +£1150.75.

Regional mean in North East: £2525.66 (+£96.49).

2. England StandingRank #23 of 296 in EnglandTop 8% highest Band D in England

Within North East, County Durham ranks #2 of 12 billing authorities for Band D charges.

Nation Percentile: 8th percentile in England.

3. Direct Debit Installment Options£262.22 / 10 mosor £218.51 / 12 months

Switching from the default 10-installment plan to the statutory 12-month schedule lowers your monthly bill by £43.71 / month, spreading cash outflows across February and March.

Local authorities are legally required to grant 12-month billing upon written or online request.

Nearby Authorities in North East: Cheaper vs Pricier Alternatives

Cheaper Neighbouring Councils in North East:

Northumberland

Save £25.21/yrBand D: £2596.94 (-1%)

Stockton-on-Tees

Save £32.32/yrBand D: £2589.83 (-1.2%)

Hartlepool

Save £61.95/yrBand D: £2560.20 (-2.4%)

Higher-Tariff Neighbouring Councils in North East:

Gateshead

+£93.66/yrBand D: £2715.81 (+3.6%)

Who Sets Your Bill: Precepting Authority Structure

Statutory breakdown structure for Council Tax levied across County Durham (Durham County Council).

Statutory Local Tiers

Unitary / Metropolitan Council Precept Structure

As an all-purpose unitary authority, Durham County Council sets the primary proportion of your bill, combining core civic services with the Adult Social Care precept.

Unitary Council Services: Education, social services, waste collection, housing, and planning.
Police Precept: Levied by the regional Police & Crime Commissioner.
Fire & Rescue Precept: Levied by the Combined Fire Authority.
Mayoral Precept: Combined authority precept where applicable.

Official Bill Verification: Exact statutory line-by-line pound allocations are itemised on your annual Council Tax Demand Notice issued each March. For specific budget schedules, consult Durham County Council's official 2026/27 council tax resolution.