Council Tax in the North East 2026/27: All 12 Councils, Highest to Lowest
The 12 billing authorities in the North East average £2,525.66 at Band D for 2026/27 (England: £2,410.97), up 4.5% on average. Gateshead is the dearest at £2,715.81, Sunderland the cheapest at £2,197.14. 9 of the 12 apply the second-homes premium.
Every council in the North East, ranked by Band D
Band D is MHCLG’s area council tax for two adults, including the adult social care, county, police, fire and average parish elements. Open a council for all eight bands, its monthly equivalents, and the full empty-home premium schedule.
| # | Council | Type | Band D 2026/27 | Change | Second-home premium | Empty 10+ yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gateshead | Metropolitan district | £2,715.81 | +5.3% | No | 300% |
| 2 | Durham | Unitary authority | £2,622.15 | +2.8% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 3 | Northumberland | Unitary authority | £2,596.94 | +5.4% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 4 | Stockton-on-Tees | Unitary authority | £2,589.83 | +4.9% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 5 | Hartlepool | Unitary authority | £2,560.20 | +2.5% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | Unitary authority | £2,549.16 | +2.5% | No | 200% |
| 7 | Redcar & Cleveland | Unitary authority | £2,544.48 | +5.0% | Yes — 100% | — |
| 8 | Newcastle upon Tyne | Metropolitan district | £2,542.19 | +5.3% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 9 | Darlington | Unitary authority | £2,493.83 | +5.2% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 10 | North Tyneside | Metropolitan district | £2,461.77 | +5.4% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
| 11 | South Tyneside | Metropolitan district | £2,434.43 | +5.3% | No | — |
| 12 | Sunderland | Metropolitan district | £2,197.14 | +5.0% | Yes — 100% | 300% |
Premiums across the region
9 of the 12 councils billed the second-homes premium in 2025/26 and 12 charge an empty-home premium at some stage. gov.uk: “You can also be charged up to 2 times your normal Council Tax. This is sometimes known as the second homes premium.” Which councils, and at what rate for how long empty, is on the second-home premium tracker; the England-wide Band D table is on council tax rates 2026/27.
Band D and bands A–H: MHCLG, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (published 25 March 2026, Table 9 area council tax for two adults, including precepts); 2025/26 comparator and % change from the MHCLG live tables. Premiums: MHCLG Council Taxbase 2025 (CTB1 return, revised 21 January 2026) = policy for 2025/26; the 2026/27 return is due around November 2026. Rules quoted from gov.uk (checked 5 September 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Averages and rankings are ours, computed across the 296 billing authorities.
Asked about this council
Gateshead, at £2,715.81 for Band D in 2026/27. The lowest in the region is Sunderland at £2,197.14.
The simple average Band D across the region's 12 billing authorities is £2,525.66 for 2026/27, against £2,410.97 across England.
9 of 12 in their 2025/26 returns to MHCLG. Councils decide each year; the 2026/27 return is due around November 2026.