Council Tax

What to share on your listing, and how buyers and tenants can check the cost

You don't need to include a full financial breakdown in your property listing. But sharing the council tax band (or rates in Northern Ireland) is a small detail that signals you're organised, and it helps buyers and tenants budget properly.

This guide explains what council tax is, how to find the correct band in each UK nation, and how to work out the likely annual cost without guessing.

Key takeaways

• In England and Wales, you can look up the council tax band on GOV.UK.
• In Scotland, council tax banding is checked via the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA).
• Northern Ireland uses domestic rates, not council tax.
• The amount payable depends on the local council, not just the band.

What is council tax?

Council tax is a local tax charged on most homes in England, Wales and Scotland. Each property is placed into a band, and the annual charge depends on:

• the property’s band, and
• the rates set by the local council for that year.

Northern Ireland: what are “domestic rates”?

Northern Ireland doesn't use council tax. Instead, households pay domestic rates, based on the capital value of the home (set as at 1 January 2005) and the rates set for the year.

Step-by-step: how to find the correct band (or rates)

England and Wales

Step 1: Find the council tax band

Use GOV.UK’s official checker: “Check your Council Tax band”.

Step 2: Find the local council for the property

Use GOV.UK: “Find your local council”.

Step 3: Check the annual charge on the council’s website

Once you’re on the council website, look for:

• “Council Tax bands and charges”
• “Council Tax rates”
• “Council Tax for [current year]”

Scotland

Step 1: Find the council tax band

Use the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) search tool.

Step 2: Check annual charges on the council’s website

Scottish councils publish band charges (often alongside water or wastewater notes).

Northern Ireland

Step 1: Use NI rates guidance or tools

Start with NI rates guidance (NI Direct) and the Department of Finance domestic rating information.

Step 2: Check valuation or estimated bill if needed

NI Direct provides routes to find a property valuation and see an estimated annual rate bill.