Enfield Council's 2026/27 council tax, including the Greater London Authority (GLA) share, runs from £1,511.78 for Band A to £4,535.34 for Band H, and £2,267.67 for Band D. The council's figures assume two adults live in the home. Whoever lives in the property as their main home usually pays, whether they own it or rent it. The Valuation Office sets the band.
The short version
- Your band follows the home's value on 1 April 1991.
- A tenant is normally liable. The owner pays for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and homes with nobody living in them. A home occupied only by under-18s is exempt.
- A single adult can ask for 25% off, and student-only households are exempt.
What are the Enfield council tax bands for 2026/27?
Enfield's council tax page and its 2026/27 guide, both read on 17 October 2026, give the charges below. The 1991 value limits come from section 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, read on 17 October 2026.
| Band | Value on 1 April 1991 | Total 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | £1,511.78 |
| B | Over £40,000 to £52,000 | £1,763.74 |
| C | Over £52,000 to £68,000 | £2,015.71 |
| D | Over £68,000 to £88,000 | £2,267.67 |
| E | Over £88,000 to £120,000 | £2,771.60 |
| F | Over £120,000 to £160,000 | £3,275.52 |
| G | Over £160,000 to £320,000 | £3,779.45 |
| H | Over £320,000 | £4,535.34 |
The Act sets the bands in the proportion 6:7:8:9:11:13:15:18, so Band H costs three times Band A. Each total includes the GLA's share, which funds police, fire and transport: for Band D, £1,757.16 is Enfield's and £510.51 the GLA's. The council says the average Band D bill rose by 4.79% for 2026/27.
How is a council tax band set?
Each home was banded using its open-market value on 1 April 1991, say Enfield's guide and GOV.UK. For you, today's asking price says little about the band, and two similar homes can sit in different bands if their 1991 values differed.
A band can change. GOV.UK, whose page is dated 5 February 2025, lists examples: splitting a property into flats, converting flats into one home, starting or stopping working from home, or changes by a previous owner. Ask the Valuation Office whether planned work could affect the band.
How do I check a council tax band and challenge it?
- Look up the address or postcode in GOV.UK's Check your Council Tax band service.
- Compare it with similar homes nearby. GOV.UK says evidence can be up to 5 similar properties in a lower band, matching on type, size, age and style.
- Use the same service to challenge. If you have paid council tax on the property for less than 6 months, you have a legal right to make a proposal. After 6 months you can ask for a band review without that right.
- Keep paying while the Valuation Office decides. GOV.UK says a decision can take up to 4 months for a proposal and up to 12 months for a band review.
- If you disagree, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal only where you had the legal right to challenge, normally within 3 months of the decision in England.
GOV.UK says you cannot appeal a bill just because it seems too high. To dispute who is liable or a discount, write to the council, which has 2 months to reply. You can then appeal to the Valuation Tribunal within 2 months of its decision, or 4 months of first writing if it does not reply. Keep paying the original bill meanwhile.
Who pays council tax when a home is rented?
Section 6 of the 1992 Act, read on 17 October 2026, ranks who is liable. Section 6 ranks who is liable. A resident (someone aged 18 or over with their sole or main residence there) who owns or leases the home comes first. Any other resident comes next, and the owner comes last. A tenant living in the home is therefore liable ahead of the landlord. Joint tenants are each jointly and severally liable, so the council can ask any one of them for the whole bill, unless some are disregarded (for example students) and others are not, when only those not disregarded are liable. That does not apply where the let is an HMO.
The owner pays instead in some cases. Enfield lists asylum seekers' accommodation, care homes, hospitals, hostels, women's refuges and HMOs such as bedsits with shared facilities. Regulation 2 of the Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992, read the same day, prescribes classes including care homes, hostels, HMOs and asylum accommodation. On our reading, "HMO" there has the Housing Act 2004 section 254 meaning, so a shared house of unrelated adults can count, not only bedsits. Ask Enfield which applies to your let. Our Enfield HMO licensing article covers the licensing side.
A tenancy agreement can say the rent includes council tax. On our reading of section 6, that moves the cost between landlord and tenant and leaves the council's bill with the person section 6 names. Tenants can read our guide to how renting works.
Between lets, Enfield treats a furnished home with no permanent resident as a second home. It offers no discount for second homes and, from 1 April 2025, charges a 100% premium, which doubles the bill. Enfield says exceptions can apply, for example for up to 12 months while a home is actively marketed for let or sale, with proof. GOV.UK's premium guidance adds that the same owner can use the sale exception once, and can reuse the let exception only after a tenancy, so a landlord with repeated voids should ask Enfield first. Landlords must tell the council straight away when a tenant moves in or out.
What council tax discounts and exemptions can I get in Enfield?
Enfield's discounts page, read on 17 October 2026, lists these, and each needs an application:
| Situation | What Enfield says |
|---|---|
| One adult lives there | 25% off |
| Everyone else is disregarded (for example full-time students) | 25% off |
| All residents are disregarded | 50% off |
| Home adapted for a disabled adult or child | Bill may be reduced by 1 band |
| Occupied only by full-time students | Exempt (GOV.UK), but you still need to apply |
| Occupied only by people under 18 | Exempt |
As an example, a single adult in a Band C home would pay 25% less than £2,015.71. The discount is £503.93 and the bill £1,511.78. Enfield says to report changes within 21 days. GOV.UK also says you may get Council Tax Reduction on a low income or benefits.
An unfurnished empty home pays the full amount unless an exemption applies. Enfield adds an empty homes premium after 1 year (double), 5 years (three times) and 10 years (four times); the statute says "at least" those periods.
What should a buyer check before making an offer?
- Look up the band and budget for that bill. A listing should show it: see our article on material information.
- Ask whether the property was extended, split or converted, which GOV.UK says can alter a band.
- If the home has stood empty, ask Enfield about any premium. Section 11B of the 1992 Act measures it by how long the dwelling has been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished. The statute counts the period against the dwelling, not the owner, so on our reading a sale alone does not reset it, but at least 6 weeks occupied or furnished does. Confirm with Enfield.
- If you are buying to let, allow for the second homes premium on a furnished void. Our stamp duty examples cover the purchase cost.
Our how buying works and first-time buyers guides show where these checks fit.
Could the Autumn Budget change council tax?
The Budget is on 28 October 2026 (HM Treasury). We have not covered its contents here; check GOV.UK afterwards.
The government plans default 12-month billing for newly liable households from April 2027, with a right to ask for 10 (MHCLG letter 5/2026). Check with Enfield which applies when you move in.
GOV.UK says owners of homes in England worth £2 million or more will pay a yearly High Value Council Tax Surcharge from April 2028, on top of council tax. A consultation ran from 19 May to 14 July 2026. It is announced policy, and no rule is in force yet.
If you are weighing up an Enfield home, our Enfield area guide covers the borough, and you can register your search with us. Ask your solicitor or Enfield's revenues team about anything specific to a property.
Questions readers ask
What is Enfield council tax band D for 2026/27?
Enfield Council's page gives £2,267.67 for Band D in 2026/27, assuming two adults live in the home. Of that, £1,757.16 is Enfield's share and £510.51 is the Greater London Authority's. Your own bill is the figure that counts, because discounts and support change it.
Does a tenant or a landlord pay council tax in Enfield?
Normally the tenant, if they are 18 or over and the home is their main residence. Under section 6 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 a resident is liable ahead of an owner. The owner pays in some cases, including houses in multiple occupation and a home with no resident. A home occupied only by under-18s is exempt.
How much is the single person discount in Enfield?
Enfield says you may be entitled to 25% off if only one adult lives in the home, or if everyone else is disregarded, for example full-time students. You have to apply. On the Band C figure of £2,015.71, a 25% discount is £503.93 a year.
Can I challenge my council tax band after buying a home?
Yes. GOV.UK says you have a legal right to challenge if you have paid council tax on the property for less than 6 months. After that you can still ask for a band review, but you need evidence, such as up to 5 similar properties in a lower band. You must keep paying while the Valuation Office decides.
Does the council tax band change when I buy a house?
A sale is not among the reasons GOV.UK gives for a band to change. It gives examples such as splitting a property into flats or alterations by a previous owner. Check the band for the address before you offer, and ask the Valuation Office if you think work done to the property could affect it.
Sources
- Enfield Council, How much Council Tax do you pay?, Guide 2026-27, Who has to pay, Discounts and Moving home, read on 17 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, How Council Tax works, page dated 5 February 2025, read on 17 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Challenge your Council Tax band, page dated 14 November 2024, and Check your Council Tax band, read on 17 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Appeal a Council Tax bill or fine, read on 17 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, Local Government Finance Act 1992, sections 5, 6, 11B and 11C, Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992 and Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992, regulation 2, read on 17 October 2026.
- HM Treasury, Budget 2026 date, 31 July 2026, and GOV.UK, High Value Council Tax Surcharge consultation, read on 17 October 2026.
