Quick answer: For 2026/27, Glasgow council tax runs from £1,137 a year at Band A to £4,180 at Band H. Add Scottish Water charges and the total bill is £1,572 (Band A) up to £5,484 (Band H). The most common band, Band B, is £1,327 council tax or about £1,834 in total. Band D is £1,706 council tax, £2,358 with water.
Council tax is one of those things you know you have to pay but nobody really explains how it works. If you live in Glasgow, here’s exactly what you’re paying, why, and how to make sure you’re not overpaying.
Glasgow Council Tax Bands 2026/27: Full A to H Rates Table
Jump to your band: A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H
| Band | 1991 value | Council tax | Water & sewerage | Total per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | Up to £27,000 | £1,137 | £435 | £1,572 | ≈ £131 |
| Band B | £27,001 to £35,000 | £1,327 | £507 | £1,834 | ≈ £153 |
| Band C | £35,001 to £45,000 | £1,516 | £580 | £2,096 | ≈ £175 |
| Band D | £45,001 to £58,000 | £1,706 | £652 | £2,358 | ≈ £197 |
| Band E | £58,001 to £80,000 | £2,241 | £797 | £3,039 | ≈ £253 |
| Band F | £80,001 to £106,000 | £2,772 | £942 | £3,714 | ≈ £310 |
| Band G | £106,001 to £212,000 | £3,341 | £1,087 | £4,428 | ≈ £369 |
| Band H | Over £212,000 | £4,180 | £1,305 | £5,484 | ≈ £457 |
Last checked: 23 October 2026. Figures are Glasgow City Council’s agreed 2026/27 rates (a 5.9% council tax rise) plus Scottish Water charges (up 8.7%). The “per month” figures are the annual total divided by 12. The council bills over 10 instalments (April to January) by default. You can choose 12 when you set up a direct debit. Figures are rounded to the nearest pound, so a row can look £1 out when you add it up.
How Council Tax Works in Scotland
Council tax is a property-based tax. Every home in Scotland is placed in one of eight bands (A to H) based on what it would have been worth on 1 April 1991. Not what it’s worth now. What it was worth over 30 years ago. Yes, that’s daft, but that’s how it works in Scotland and England. Wales uses 2003 values instead.
Your band determines how much you pay. Band A properties are the cheapest, Band H the most expensive. Glasgow City Council sets the rates each year as part of their budget.
The council tax bill you receive also includes Scottish Water charges for water supply and waste water (sewerage). These are collected by the council on Scottish Water’s behalf and appear on the same bill.
Glasgow Council Tax Rates 2026/27
From April 2026, council tax in Glasgow went up again. The council agreed a 5.9% increase for 2026/27, and Scottish Water charges rose 8.7% on top. The full band-by-band breakdown is in the table above.
That’s a noticeable jump. A Band B property, the most common in Glasgow, goes from roughly £1,253 to £1,327 just for the council tax portion. Add water charges and you’re looking at about £1,834 for the year, or around £153 per month.
About two in three Glasgow homes (68%) are in Bands A, B or C. Band B is the most common band in the city, with about 77,000 properties. Two similar flats can end up in different bands, so check yours with the band checker below. For a full picture of what it costs to live here, see our cost of living in Glasgow guide.
Glasgow Council Tax Rates 2025/26 (Previous Year)
For reference, these were the rates for the 2025/26 tax year (April 2025 to March 2026), when the council agreed a 7.5% increase. The 2026/27 figures above are what you pay now.
- Band A (up to £27,000 in 1991): £1,074 council tax per year
- Band B (£27,001 to £35,000): £1,253 per year
- Band C (£35,001 to £45,000): £1,432 per year
- Band D (£45,001 to £58,000): £1,611 per year
- Band E (£58,001 to £80,000): £2,117 per year
- Band F (£80,001 to £106,000): £2,618 per year
- Band G (£106,001 to £212,000): £3,155 per year
- Band H (over £212,000): £3,947 per year
These are the council tax amounts only, before Scottish Water charges.
Glasgow Council Tax Band Checker
Every property in Scotland has an assigned council tax band. You can check yours for free on the Scottish Assessors Association website. Just enter your address and it’ll tell you your band, then match it to the table above to see exactly what you’ll pay. The Glasgow Assessor is responsible for valuing and banding all properties in the city.
If you’ve just moved, your band will be on your council tax bill. If you’re looking at a property before moving in, check the SAA website or ask the landlord/estate agent.
How Bands Are Determined
Your band is based on the estimated market value of your property on 1 April 1991. Not the current value. Not what you paid for it. The 1991 value.
This means a flat that was worth £30,000 in 1991 (Band B) might be worth £180,000 today, but it’s still Band B. The whole system hasn’t been revalued since it was introduced. Everyone agrees it’s outdated but nobody wants to open that can of worms politically.
Discounts and Exemptions
25% Single Person Discount
If you’re the only adult living in your property, you get 25% off your council tax bill. It isn’t automatic, so you have to apply. Use the single person discount page on the Glasgow City Council website. The 25% comes off your Scottish Water charges too, unless you have a water meter.
If you live with another adult who is “disregarded” for council tax purposes (like a full-time student), you still get the 25% discount.
Student Exemption
If everyone living in a property is a full-time student, the property is exempt from council tax entirely. You pay nothing. You have to apply, because it isn’t automatic. The main Glasgow colleges and universities send the council your student proof, though some only do it if you opt in. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need a proof of student status form signed by your college or university.
If you’re a student living with a non-student, the property isn’t exempt, but the student is “disregarded” for the single person discount calculation.
Council Tax Reduction
If you’re on a low income or receiving certain benefits, you might qualify for Council Tax Reduction (previously called Council Tax Benefit). This can take up to 100% off your council tax. It doesn’t cover your water and sewerage charges, but you may get up to 35% off those through the Water Charges Reduction Scheme. The council works that out for you. Apply online through the Council Tax Reduction page on the Glasgow City Council website.
Over 50% of households in Scotland receive some form of financial help with their council tax and water charges. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s worth checking whether you qualify.
Other Discounts
- Empty properties: An empty, unfurnished home can be exempt from council tax for up to 6 months, but you have to apply. If a home has been empty for 12 months or more, Glasgow adds a 200% premium from 1 April 2026, so the council tax is triple. The premium doesn’t apply in months 12 to 24 if you’re actively trying to sell or let it.
- Second homes: Glasgow adds a 200% premium from 1 April 2026, so the council tax is triple. The premium doesn’t apply to your water charges.
- Severely mentally impaired: A person who is severely mentally impaired is disregarded for council tax purposes. You have to apply, and a doctor completes part of the form.
- Carers: A live-in carer isn’t counted as an adult if the person they care for isn’t their partner, spouse or child under 18. Glasgow also asks that the person needs at least 35 hours of care a week and gets certain disability benefits. You have to apply.
How to Appeal Your Band
Think your property is in the wrong band? You can challenge it. This is called a “proposal” in Scotland. You can make one if:
- You’ve just become the owner, or the person who pays the council tax, and you think the band is wrong. You have 6 months from the day you took over.
- The property has lost value because part of it was knocked down, the area around it has physically changed, or it has been adapted for a disabled person. You can ask at any time. A fall in house prices doesn’t count.
- The Assessor has just told you your band in a notice of banding. You have 6 months from that notice.
Submit your proposal on the Glasgow Assessor’s page: search for your address, then click “Make a proposal”. The Assessor has up to 6 months to decide. If you still disagree, you can appeal to the Local Taxation Chamber within 6 months and 6 weeks of the day the Assessor got your proposal. Keep paying your council tax while you wait. Be warned, though: they can also move you up a band if they find the property was undervalued. It cuts both ways. Don’t appeal unless you’re genuinely confident your band is too high.
Water and Sewerage Charges
Scottish Water charges appear on your council tax bill, but they’re a separate charge. Glasgow City Council collects them on Scottish Water’s behalf.
The charges are based on your council tax band. For 2026/27, a Band D property pays about £302 for water supply and £350 for waste water, totalling around £652. Your charge covers both services if your home is connected to both. If it’s connected to only one, you can ask Scottish Water to check what you should pay.
Scottish Water announced an 8.7% increase for 2026/27. Scottish Water says its bills are still among the lowest of any water company in the UK. Small comfort when your bill goes up, but there it is.
If you’re on a water meter (uncommon in Glasgow but possible), your charges are based on usage rather than your council tax band. Check the Scottish Water website for metered charges.
How Glasgow Compares to Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s Band D council tax for 2026/27 is £1,626. Glasgow’s is £1,706. So Glasgow is about £80 more per year at Band D. That’s roughly £7 a month.
Edinburgh had a 4% increase for 2026/27 compared to Glasgow’s 5.9%. Over the last few years, Glasgow’s council tax has been rising faster than Edinburgh’s. Glasgow’s Band D has been higher than Edinburgh’s every year since 1997/98. This year the gap grew from about £47 to about £80.
Both are well below the English average Band D of £2,392 for 2026/27. English bands use different property values, so it isn’t a like-for-like comparison. Within Scotland, Glasgow is on the expensive side. Its Band D is the 10th highest of the 32 councils, and above the Scottish average of £1,653. Edinburgh is below that average. If you’re weighing up areas, our best areas to live in Glasgow guide has rent and lifestyle breakdowns for each one.
Payment Options
You can pay your Glasgow council tax by:
- Direct debit: The council’s preferred method. You can spread payments over 10 monthly instalments (April to January) or 12 (April to March). You can pick the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd or 28th of the month. Set it up through Glasgow City Council’s website.
- Online: One-off payments through the council’s online portal.
- Phone: Call the council’s automated payment line on 0141 287 0300. It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- PayPoint or Post Office: Take the barcode on your bill to any PayPoint location (most corner shops and newsagents) or any Post Office.
Direct debit is the way to go. It spreads the cost, you won’t forget to pay, and the council prefers it so they’re less likely to chase you. Council tax is one of those bills where you really don’t want to fall behind. They have strong powers to recover unpaid council tax, including wage arrestment (taking it straight from your salary).
Glasgow Council Tax FAQs
How much is council tax in Glasgow for 2026/27?
Band D is £1,706 council tax, or £2,358 once you add water and sewerage. Band B, the most common band in the city, is £1,327 council tax or about £1,834 in total. The full A to H table is above.
What council tax band am I in?
Every Glasgow property is banded A to H based on its value on 1 April 1991. Check yours for free on the Scottish Assessors Association site at saa.gov.uk/glasgow, then match it to the rates table above.
How much is Band C council tax in Glasgow?
Band C is £1,516 council tax for 2026/27, or £2,096 including water charges, which works out at roughly £175 a month.
What is the cheapest council tax band in Glasgow?
Band A is the cheapest at £1,137 council tax, or £1,572 in total with water charges.
How do I get a council tax discount in Glasgow?
If you’re the only adult in the property you can get 25% off your council tax and water charges, but you have to apply. Households where everyone is a full-time student are fully exempt. Anyone on a low income can apply for Council Tax Reduction, which can take up to 100% off the council tax part of the bill. You’d still pay water and sewerage charges, though you may get up to 35% off those.
Can I appeal my Glasgow council tax band?
Yes, but usually only within 6 months of becoming the owner or the person who pays the council tax. Submit a proposal to the Glasgow Assessor, but bear in mind they can move you up a band as well as down, so only appeal if you’re confident your band is too high.
How much is council tax per month in Glasgow?
Divide the annual total by 12: Band B is about £153 a month, Band D about £197. By default the council actually bills over 10 instalments unless you ask to spread it over 12.
Quick Summary
- Most common band in Glasgow: Band B (about 77,000 properties)
- Band B 2026/27: £1,327 council tax, £1,834 total with water
- Band D 2026/27: £1,706 council tax, £2,358 total with water
- Cheapest band: Band A at £1,137 (£1,572 total)
- Single person discount: 25% off council tax and water charges
- Students: Fully exempt if all occupants are full-time students
- Check your band: saa.gov.uk/glasgow
- Pay and manage: glasgow.gov.uk/counciltax
