The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) bands all homes in England and Wales for Council Tax.
Your local council uses your Council Tax band to determine how much Council Tax you pay.
In this blog, we look at role of the VOA and local councils in the administration of Council Tax.
Read our next blog for information about business rates.
Working out your Council Tax band
Council Tax bands are based on the open market value of a property – the price a home could have been sold for – at a fixed point in time.
This is known as the antecedent valuation date. In England, this date is 1 April 1991. In Wales, it’s 1 April 2003.
We consider 3 types of evidence when working out Council Tax bands:
- sales evidence
- banding evidence
- settlement evidence
Learn more about how we value properties for Council Tax.
There are 8 Council Tax bands in England, running from Band A to Band H. There are 9 in Wales, running from Band A to Band I.
Which band your property sits in determines how much Council Tax you pay.
Your Council Tax bill
The rate of Council Tax you pay is set by your council.
Your bill will show which Council Tax band your property is in and the charge for this band. It will also show any additional charges collected by your council.
How we can help
The VOA can help with any questions about your Council Tax band.
Our online service lets you check your property’s Council Tax band and make a challenge if you think the band is wrong.
You should also contact us to report any changes that may affect your property’s banding. For example, if your property is now used for business or you have added or removed an annexe.
When to contact your local council
Your council deals with your Council Tax bill. Any questions about your bill, including payments, discounts, exemptions and rebates should be directed to them.
You should also let your council know about any new properties that need banding.
To find your local council, visit GOV.UK.
We welcome your comments about this blog below but cannot discuss individual cases. Please do not share any personal information. We will not be able to publish any comments that include personal details.
Please direct all queries about individual cases to our contact form.
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