CouncilTaxCostUK
2026/27 Official MHCLG Billing Data
Harlow District Council • ONS LAD E07000073
Below England averageRank #242 of 296 (England)

Harlow Council Tax 2026/2027

Official municipal billing authority: Harlow District Council (District Council (Two-Tier)) in East of England, England. Administering 5 postcode districts under Council Tax (England Statutory 1991 Valuation).

Band D Base Annual£2,298.69100% Consistent Base
YoY Annual Increase+3.08%+£68.68 vs 2025/26
Regional Rank (East of England)#37 of 45In East of England
Postcodes Monitored5Postcode Districts

Statutory Tariff Table: Harlow

Full annual fees and discounted rates applicable across all 5 outcodes in this authority.

10 & 12 Monthly Direct Debit
Valuation BandFull Annual (£)10-Mo Direct DebitSingle Person (-25%)Single 10-Mo
Band A
£1,532.46£153.25/mo£1,149.35£114.94/mo
Band B
£1,787.87£178.79/mo£1,340.90£134.09/mo
Band C
£2,043.28£204.33/mo£1,532.46£153.25/mo
Band DBenchmark
£2,298.69£229.87/mo£1,724.02£172.40/mo
Band E
£2,809.51£280.95/mo£2,107.13£210.71/mo
Band F
£3,320.33£332.03/mo£2,490.25£249.03/mo
Band G
£3,831.15£383.12/mo£2,873.36£287.34/mo
Band H
£4,597.38£459.74/mo£3,448.04£344.80/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-£93.31vs England average Band D (£2,392)

Harlow Band D is -3.9% lower than the statutory England benchmark. Cumulative 5-year difference: -£466.55.

Regional mean in East of England: £2391.20 (-£92.51).
2. England StandingRank #242 of 296 in EnglandTop 19% lowest Band D in England

Within East of England, Harlow ranks #37 of 45 billing authorities for Band D charges.

Nation Percentile: 19th percentile in England.
3. Direct Debit Installment Options£229.87 / 10 mosor £191.56 / 12 months

Switching from the default 10-installment plan to the statutory 12-month schedule lowers your monthly bill by £38.31 / 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 East of England: Cheaper vs Pricier Alternatives

Cheaper Neighbouring Councils in East of England:
Peterborough
Save £5.22/yrBand D: £2293.47 (-0.2%)
Colchester
Save £15.84/yrBand D: £2282.85 (-0.7%)
Braintree
Save £18.35/yrBand D: £2280.34 (-0.8%)
Higher-Tariff Neighbouring Councils in East of England:
Chelmsford
+£1.49/yrBand D: £2300.18 (+0.1%)
Broxbourne
+£7.74/yrBand D: £2306.43 (+0.3%)
Mid Suffolk
+£18.19/yrBand D: £2316.88 (+0.8%)

Who Sets Your Bill: Precepting Authority Structure

Statutory breakdown structure for Council Tax levied across Harlow (Harlow District Council).

Statutory Local Tiers

Four-Tier Shire County & District Precept Structure

As a two-tier non-metropolitan district, your total bill in Harlow is split between four separate precepting bodies:

  • County Council (typically ~70% of bill): Funds upper-tier services including adult social care, children's services, education infrastructure, major highways, and public health.
  • Harlow District Council (District Billing Authority, ~10–15%): Collects your tax and funds local borough functions—refuse collection, housing, planning approvals, and environmental health.
  • Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC, ~10–12%): Sets an independent precept to fund regional policing operations.
  • Fire and Rescue Authority (~3–4%): Funds emergency fire rescue and prevention operations.

Where applicable, parished communities also contribute a local Town or Parish Council precept for hyper-local amenities.

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 Harlow District Council's official 2026/27 council tax resolution.