How much is Band A council tax in Folkestone and Hythe for 2025/26?

Band A in Folkestone and Hythe is charged at 0.6667 × the local Band D rate. On the national average Band D of £2,280, that works out at roughly £1,520 a year, or about £127 a month.

How do I check my council tax band in Folkestone and Hythe?

Enter your Folkestone and Hythe postcode into our free checker and we pull the live VOA record for your address and every neighbouring property. That single view is enough to tell you whether your Band A looks correct or whether identical homes on the same street are in a lower band.

Can I appeal Band A in Folkestone and Hythe?

Yes. Any council tax payer in Folkestone and Hythe can ask the Valuation Office Agency to review their band at no cost. The most reliable route is comparable-property evidence: if identical homes on your street are in a lower band, you have clear grounds. Successful challenges typically move you down a band and refund overpayments back to your move-in date.

What 1991 value puts a home in Band A?

In England, Band A covers homes with an estimated 1 April 1991 value of £0 – £40,000. Every Folkestone and Hythe home was banded on that basis and has not been revalued since.

How much refund could I get if my Folkestone and Hythe band drops from A?

Dropping one band from A typically saves £150–£400 a year depending on Folkestone and Hythe's local precepts. Refunds are backdated to when you first moved in — nine years of backdating is common, so a successful challenge can return £1,500–£3,600 as a lump sum, plus lower bills going forward.

South East · England · 2025/26

Folkestone and Hythe council tax bands & charges 2025/26

Free check. See every band on your Folkestone and Hythe street in seconds.

Folkestone and Hythe's Band D charge for 2025/26 is around £2,280 (national average — precise local figure on your bill). Every other band pays a fixed multiple of that figure — Band A is 0.667×, Band H is 2.000×. Bands were set from 1 April 1991 property values by VOA; errors are common and free to challenge.

Quick answer — Folkestone and Hythe, 2025/26

£2,280

Band D annual charge

£1,520

Band A annual charge

£4,560

Band H annual charge

Uses the national average Band D of £2,280. Your bill shows Folkestone and Hythe's exact figure.

All council tax bands in Folkestone and Hythe (2025/26)

Every Folkestone and Hythe property sits in one of 8 bands (A–H), decided by its estimated 1 April 1991 market value. Band D is the reference band; every other band is a statutory ratio of it.

Band	1991 value	Ratio	Annual	Monthly	Deep-dive
A	£0 – £40,000	0.6667	£1,520	£127	Band A →
B	£40,000 – £52,000	0.7778	£1,773	£148	Band B →
C	£52,000 – £68,000	0.8889	£2,027	£169	Band C →
D	£68,000 – £88,000	1.0000	£2,280	£190	Band D →
E	£88,000 – £120,000	1.2222	£2,787	£232	Band E →
F	£120,000 – £160,000	1.4444	£3,293	£274	Band F →
G	£160,000 – £320,000	1.6667	£3,800	£317	Band G →
H	Over £320,000	2.0000	£4,560	£380	Band H →

Band A (up to £40,000) always pays the least; Band H pays 2.00× the Band D rate. Ratios source: Local Government Finance Act 1992, Schedule 1.

Folkestone and Hythe council tax discounts & exemptions

Folkestone and Hythe Council administers the standard statutory reliefs. Apply directly through their website — some backdate up to six years if you were previously eligible.

Single-person discount (25%) — you live alone, or every other adult in the home is "disregarded" (e.g. full-time students, live-in carers).
All-student household exemption (100%) — no bill if every adult in the property is a full-time student.
Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI) disregard — if the sole occupant has an SMI diagnosis and receives a qualifying benefit, the full bill can be exempted; a shared home may qualify for a 25% discount.
Empty-property relief — short discount when a property is unoccupied and unfurnished; length varies by council policy.
Council Tax Reduction (means-tested) — administered by Folkestone and Hythe based on income, savings, and household composition.

When does Folkestone and Hythe take payment?

The council tax year runs 1 April to 31 March. Folkestone and Hythe issues bills in March. By default, payment is spread over 10 monthly instalments (April–January), but you can request 12 instalments (April–March) to lower each monthly amount. Direct Debit dates are typically the 1st, 15th, or 28th of the month — confirm on your bill.

Who sets bands in England

In England, bands are still based on 1 April 1991 open-market values and are maintained by the Valuation Office Agency. Folkestone and Hythe Council issues the bill, but only the VOA can change the band. A successful challenge means Folkestone and Hythe reissues your bill and refunds any overpayment — often backdated to when you moved in.

Compare your Folkestone and Hythe band to your neighbours

We pull the live VOA record for every property on your street and neighbouring streets in Folkestone and Hythe, so you can see at a glance whether your home is banded higher than similar properties nearby.

Build the evidence pack the VOA expects

Our pack includes matched comparables, a 1991 valuation summary specific to your South East area, and a draft challenge letter — the exact format the VOA works with.

Submit to the VOA (free) and wait for Folkestone and Hythe to reissue

You send the pack to the VOA directly — they charge nothing to review. If your band drops, Folkestone and Hythe Council automatically reissues your bill and refunds every year you were overpaying, usually back to when you moved in.

Folkestone and Hythe council tax FAQs

Can I appeal my council tax band in Folkestone and Hythe?

Yes. Any council tax payer in Folkestone and Hythe can ask the VOA to review their band at no cost. There are two routes: a formal "proposal" (available within six months of moving in or after certain qualifying events) and an informal "band review" (available at any time). Our pack works for both, and the evidence is the same — a clear comparison against similar homes nearby.

How long does a Folkestone and Hythe band review take?

VOA typically responds within 2–4 months. If they agree the band should change, Folkestone and Hythe Council is notified automatically and issues a corrected bill plus any refund — usually within a further 4–8 weeks. If VOA disagrees, you can escalate to the Valuation Tribunal free of charge.

Will Folkestone and Hythe Council refund overpaid council tax?

Yes — refunds are backdated to the date the incorrect band took effect, which is usually the date you moved in (and in some cases as far back as 1991). The refund is issued by Folkestone and Hythe Council directly, not by VOA, once they receive the updated banding notice.

How is my Folkestone and Hythe council tax bill split up?

Your Folkestone and Hythe bill is a share of your council's total budget, plus precepts collected on behalf of the police, fire service and — where applicable — a parish or town council. Every band pays a fixed ratio of the Band D figure; Folkestone and Hythe publishes the split each year in their budget-setting report.

Do I get a discount on my Folkestone and Hythe council tax?

Common discounts include the single-person 25% discount (only one adult living in the home), the student exemption (all-student households pay nothing), the Severely Mentally Impaired disregard, and empty-property relief for short periods after a move. Folkestone and Hythe Council administers all of these — apply directly through their website.

Refund calculator

Estimate your Folkestone and Hythe refund if your band drops.

1991 value estimator

Back-calculate your property’s valuation-date value.

DIY vs our pack

Honest comparison of free vs paid routes.

Other areas in South East

See all areas we cover →

2025/26 figures. Band D uses the national average. Page last reviewed 14 July 2026.