Council Tax bands and charges
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How much you have to pay
Every property is placed into a Council Tax valuation band (A–H) by the Valuation Office (within HMRC).
The Valuation Office decides the band by assessing what the property would have sold for on 1 April 1991, which is the valuation date set in law for England. They use sales evidence, banding patterns, and other factors such as property size, location and type to determine each band. Find out more on the Valuation Office website.
For more information about why your property is in a certain band, read how domestic properties are assessed for Council Tax bands on GOV.UK.
Find your Council Tax band
The Council Tax band for your property will be shown on your bill. You can also use the check your Council Tax band service on GOV.UK to find out what band your property is in.
Portsmouth Council Tax bands and charges
Your annual bill includes charges from:
- Portsmouth City Council
- Police & Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & Isle of Wight
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service
Portsmouth City Council increased its share of the Council Tax charge by 4.99% for 2026/27.
| Band | Portsmouth City Council (£) | Hampshire Police Authority (£) |
Combined Fire Authority (£) |
Total Council Tax charge (£) |
| A | 1,272.27 | 193.64 | 61.89 | 1,527.80 |
| B | 1,484.32 | 225.91 | 72.21 | 1,782.44 |
| C | 1,696.36 | 258.19 | 82.52 | 2,037.07 |
| D | 1,908.41 | 290.46 | 92.84 | 2,291.71 |
| E | 2,332.50 | 355.01 | 113.47 | 2,800.98 |
| F | 2,756.59 | 419.55 | 134.10 | 3,310.24 |
| G | 3,180.68 | 484.10 | 154.73 | 3,819.51 |
| H | 3,816.82 | 580.92 | 185.68 | 4,583.42 |
Nationally, band D properties are seen as the benchmark in terms of council tax. In Portsmouth, residents will pay £2,291.71. But most Portsmouth residents are in band B and will pay £1,782.44 or less.
For a breakdown of how funds are used, please see the detailed how your Council Tax is divided across services
If you think your Council Tax band is wrong
If, after checking, you believe your band is incorrect, you may request a review from the Valuation Office. Please note that Portsmouth City Council has no responsibility for valuing properties for Council Tax purposes, and any challenge you consider making must be with the Valuation Office (within HMRC).
Depending on how long you have lived in the property, you may be able to make either a formal challenge or an informal band review.
A proposal is a formal challenge. You can only make a proposal in certain circumstances, such as if you’ve been paying Council Tax on your property for less than 6 months. When you make a proposal, by law the Valuation Office must review your band.
A band review is an informal challenge. Anyone who has been paying Council Tax on their property for more than 6 months can request a band review, but the same legal rights don’t apply. The Valuation Office will only look at your case if you provide strong evidence which suggests your band is wrong.
For more information please read the Valuation Office’s challenge your Council Tax band guidance on GOV.UK. This includes information about how to challenge your Council Tax band.