# Council tax in Fareham

url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/england/fareham/
updated: 29 September 2026
licence: Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Figures: each source's own licence, listed under Sources.
publisher: [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk)

# Council tax in Fareham



Last updated 29 September 2026.
Figures refresh every night. [How each figure is worked out](/methodology/).





Council tax in **Fareham** for 2026-27 is **£2,271 a year for a Band D home**, £1,514 for Band A and £4,541 for the top band. That is £140 below the England average of £2,411. It ranks 256 of 296 billing areas in England. Figures are the council's own set rates.



Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics).





## Key figures



- £2,271Band D a year, 2026-27

▲
As of 6 April 2026
- £1,514Band A, the lowest


As of 6 April 2026
- −£140Band D against the England average of £2,411

Below average
As of 6 April 2026
- 256 of 296Rank in England, highest first


As of 6 April 2026




Source: [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics).






## What is the bill for each band?




£2,271
Band D, Fareham, 2026-27







| Band | A year | A month |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Band ADetails | £1,513.70 | £126.14 |
| A month£126.14 | | |
| Band BDetails | £1,765.98 | £147.17 |
| A month£147.17 | | |
| Band CDetails | £2,018.27 | £168.19 |
| A month£168.19 | | |
| Band DDetails | £2,270.55 | £189.21 |
| A month£189.21 | | |
| Band EDetails | £2,775.12 | £231.26 |
| A month£231.26 | | |
| Band FDetails | £3,279.68 | £273.31 |
| A month£273.31 | | |
| Band GDetails | £3,784.25 | £315.35 |
| A month£315.35 | | |
| Band HDetails | £4,541.10 | £378.43 |
| A month£378.43 | | |






### What does this mean for you?



Choose your band to see your bill in Fareham for 2026-27. Your band is on your bill, or on the Valuation Office Agency’s search.


Your band

Band ABand BBand CBand DBand EBand FBand GBand H




Band D in Fareham: **£2,271 a year**, or £227.06 a month over the usual ten instalments. Living alone as the only adult, it would be £1,703 after the 25% discount.



The council’s set rates, before any council tax reduction or other discount. You can ask to pay over twelve months instead of ten.



Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics).








## Who gets the money?



197

2073



Fareham 9%Other precepting bodies 91%





| Who receives it | Band D | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FarehamDetails | £197 | 9% |
| Share9% | | |
| Other precepting bodiesDetails | £2,073 | 91% |
| Share91% | | |





Each body sets its own precept and the council simply collects them together. The council that
sends the bill keeps only its own share.



[Where your council tax goes: from your bill to each service](/council-tax/england/fareham/where-it-goes/)





## How does it compare?



Band D here is **£140 below** the England average, 256 of 296 councils from the highest.




**Fareham among the England councils nearest it, Band D 2026-27**



- 252. Braintree

£2,280
- 253. South Holland

£2,278
- 254. Epping Forest

£2,277
- 255. East Lindsey

£2,276
- ◆256. Fareham

£2,271
- 257. Tendring

£2,270
- 258. Enfield

£2,268
- 259. Southend-on-Sea

£2,265
- 260. Bracknell Forest

£2,265




England average: £2,411 ◆ Fareham



Ranked highest first. [Every council](/councils/) is in the full table.




**Show as a table**





| Name | Band D |
| --- | --- |
| 252. Braintree | £2,280 |
| 253. South Holland | £2,278 |
| 254. Epping Forest | £2,277 |
| 255. East Lindsey | £2,276 |
| 256. Fareham (Fareham) | £2,271 |
| 257. Tendring | £2,270 |
| 258. Enfield | £2,268 |
| 259. Southend-on-Sea | £2,265 |
| 260. Bracknell Forest | £2,265 |






Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source:
[Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics).






## How does Fareham compare? The report card



Official figures on complaints, finances, audit, pay and services for Fareham, each from the body that
published it and set against the figure for England. See every council on the
[council map](/councils/map/?council=E07000087).



- Council tax rise this year4.9%The same as the England figure of 4.9%
- Council tax per head£886Higher than the England figure of £796
- Ombudsman uphold rate0% (0 of 1)Lower than the England figure of 86%
- Reserves as a share of net spending811%Higher than the England figure of 50%
- Borrowing per home£1,043Lower than the England figure of £3,474
- Accounts, 2024-25Delivered by backstop92% of bodies had an opinion delivered by the backstop date
- Ofsted, children's services (county)Outstanding73% of English councils are good or outstanding
- A roads needing maintenance considered (county)5%The same as the England figure of 5%
- Recycling rate37.4%Lower than the England figure of 42.0%
- Major planning decisions on time97.8%Higher than the England figure of 91.0%



Each figure is set against the figure for England as a whole. They are plain comparisons, one measure at a
time: there is no overall score and no ranking of councils. Higher is not always better or worse; what each
measure does and does not show is on the [methodology page](/methodology/#council-report-cards).




### What do complaints to the ombudsman show?





| Measure | Fareham | For comparison |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Complaints and enquiries receivedDetails | 5 | — |
| For comparison— | | |
| Complaints and enquiries decidedDetails | 2 | 8 in 2024-25 |
| For comparison8 in 2024-25 | | |
| Detailed investigationsDetails | 1 | — |
| For comparison— | | |
| UpheldDetails | 0 | — |
| For comparison— | | |
| Uphold rateDetails | 0% | 86% for every body the Ombudsman covers; 74% for similar councils |
| For comparison86% for every body the Ombudsman covers; 74% for similar councils | | |
| Upheld cases where the council had already offered a satisfactory remedyDetails | — | 13% for every body the Ombudsman covers |
| For comparison13% for every body the Ombudsman covers | | |
| Ombudsman’s recommendations the council complied withDetails | — | 99.9% for every body the Ombudsman covers |
| For comparison99.9% for every body the Ombudsman covers | | |
| Uphold rate in 2024-25Details | 100% | — |
| For comparison— | | |




An uphold rate depends on how many complaints reach a detailed investigation. With few investigations, one decision moves it a long way.

Source: [Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Annual review of local government complaints](https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/reports/annual-review-reports/local-government-complaint-reviews), 2025-26.



This council is not in the Housing Ombudsman’s landlord tables for 2025-26, which list landlords with five or more findings. Most councils without their own homes are not.






### How healthy are its finances?





| Measure | Fareham | For comparison |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Net revenue spending, 2025-26Details | £4.1m | — |
| For comparison— | | |
| Reserves at the end of 2025-26Details | £33.2m | — |
| For comparison— | | |
| Reserves as a share of net spendingDetails | 811% | 50% for England; 203% in 2024-25 |
| For comparison50% for England; 203% in 2024-25 | | |
| Outstanding borrowing at 30 June 2026Details | £53.5m | — |
| For comparison— | | |
| Borrowing per home on the valuation listDetails | £1,043 | £3,474 across English billing authorities |
| For comparison£3,474 across English billing authorities | | |




Earmarked and unallocated revenue reserves at the end of the year, excluding schools and public health, as a share of net revenue expenditure. Much of any council’s reserves is set aside for particular purposes. Borrowing is total outstanding loans of every kind; councils borrow mainly to pay for buildings, roads and housing, and the figure does not show what the borrowing was for.

Source: [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: revenue outturn time series](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing), 2025-26; [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local authority borrowing and investment live table](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-local-government-finance), 30 June 2026; [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Council Taxbase statistics](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-taxbase-statistics), 2025.







### What have the auditors said?





| Accounts year | Status recorded by PSAA | Opinion signed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024-25 | Delivered by backstop | 18 February 2026 |
| 2023-24 | Delivered by backstop | 28 February 2025 |




“Delivered by backstop” means the auditor gave an opinion by the statutory backstop date. Many opinions given that way
were disclaimed or qualified because the deadline cut the audit short; PSAA publishes which type of opinion each
council received only as national totals, so it is not shown here. Auditors’ value-for-money findings are in each
auditor’s annual report on the council’s website.

Source: [Public Sector Audit Appointments, Monthly audit opinion data](https://www.psaa.co.uk/managing-audit-quality/monthly-audit-opinion-data/), 2024-25.






### What are senior staff and councillors paid?



Senior pay and councillor allowances for Fareham have not yet been read from its statement of accounts. There is no
central dataset of either; they are being added council by council, each with a link to the page of the accounts
it comes from.






### How are its services rated?





| Measure | Fareham | For comparison |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Children's services, Ofsted overall effectiveness | [Outstanding](https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/44/850) (Hampshire County Council) | 23 July 2024. 73% of English councils judged good or outstanding |
| A roads where maintenance should be considered, 2024-25 | 5% (Hampshire County Council) | 5% in England |
| B and C roads where maintenance should be considered, 2024-25 | 5% (Hampshire County Council) | 7% in England |
| Unclassified roads where maintenance should be considered, 2024-25 | 7% (Hampshire County Council) | 17% in England |
| Household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting, 2024-25 | 37.4% | 42.0% for England |
| Major planning decisions on time, 24 months to end of june 2026 | 97.8% | 91.0% for England |
| Non-major planning decisions on time, 24 months to end of June 2026 | 99.4% | 90.7% for England |




Hampshire County Council runs children’s services, adult social care and most roads here, so those rows are the county council’s.
Inspections happen at different times, so a rating can be several years old; the date is shown with each.
Planning figures are measured differently in each nation: share of decisions made within the statutory time (13 weeks for major, 8 for non-major) or an agreed extension, over 24 months.
Recycling rates are measured differently in England, Scotland and Wales, so compare within a nation.

Source: [Ofsted, Children's social care: local authority inspection outcomes](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/childrens-social-care-statistics), as at 31 March 2026; [Department for Transport, Road condition statistics: data tables (RDC)](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/road-condition-statistics-data-tables-rdc), 2024-25; [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Local authority collected waste management: annual results](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results), 2024-25; [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Live tables on planning application statistics (P151, P153)](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics), 24 months to end of June 2026.






### What about the county council, Hampshire County Council?



Hampshire County Council sets its own share of the council tax bill here and runs social care, children’s services, most
roads and waste disposal. Its own figures:




| Measure | Hampshire County Council | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ombudsman uphold rateDetails | 84% | 224 complaints decided, 2025-26 |
| Detail224 complaints decided, 2025-26 | | |
| Reserves as a share of net spendingDetails | 43% | 2025-26 |
| Detail2025-26 | | |
| Outstanding borrowingDetails | £178.9m | at 30 June 2026 |
| Detailat 30 June 2026 | | |
| Accounts, 2024-25Details | Delivered by backstop | Signed 12 February 2026 |
| DetailSigned 12 February 2026 | | |
| Employees paid £50,000 or more, 2025-26Details | 4,126 | 2024-25: 3,529. [Statement of accounts](https://documents.hants.gov.uk/finance/HCC-Statement-of-accounts-2025-26.pdf) |
| Detail2024-25: 3,529. [Statement of accounts](https://documents.hants.gov.uk/finance/HCC-Statement-of-accounts-2025-26.pdf) | | |




Official events for Hampshire County Council:


- 12 February 2026
Audit
[Auditor’s opinion on the 2024-25 accounts signed](https://www.psaa.co.uk/managing-audit-quality/monthly-audit-opinion-data/august-2026-audit-opinion-data/)
PSAA records the status as “Delivered by backstop”; auditor Ernst & Young LLP.
Public Sector Audit Appointments
- 28 June 2022
Ombudsman
[Ombudsman report: upheld, school transport](https://www.lgo.org.uk/decisions/education/school-transport/21-004-383)
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman public interest report, case 21-004-383.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
- 24 March 2021
Ombudsman
[Ombudsman report: upheld, special educational needs](https://www.lgo.org.uk/decisions/education/special-educational-needs/19-010-890)
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman public interest report, case 19-010-890.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman


Source: [Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Annual review of local government complaints](https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/reports/annual-review-reports/local-government-complaint-reviews), 2025-26; [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: revenue outturn time series](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing), 2025-26; [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local authority borrowing and investment live table](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-local-government-finance), 30 June 2026; [Public Sector Audit Appointments, Monthly audit opinion data](https://www.psaa.co.uk/managing-audit-quality/monthly-audit-opinion-data/), 2024-25.






### What has happened recently?



Decisions and publications by official bodies about Fareham, newest first. Each links to the body that made
or published it. News reports are not included.



- 7 May 2026
Election
[Local election: 16 seats won](https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/local.fareham.2026-05-07/)
Conservative and Unionist Party 11, Liberal Democrats 4, Reform UK 1
Democracy Club
- 1 April 2026
Council tax
[Council tax for 2026-27: Band D £2,271, up 4.9% on the year before](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics)

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- 18 February 2026
Audit
[Auditor’s opinion on the 2024-25 accounts signed](https://www.psaa.co.uk/managing-audit-quality/monthly-audit-opinion-data/august-2026-audit-opinion-data/)
PSAA records the status as “Delivered by backstop”; auditor Ernst & Young LLP.
Public Sector Audit Appointments
- 2 May 2024
Election
[Local election: 32 seats won](https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/local.fareham.2024-05-02/)
Conservative and Unionist Party 22, Liberal Democrats 8, Independent 1, Labour Party 1
Democracy Club
- 5 May 2022
Election
[Local election: 16 seats won](https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/local.fareham.2022-05-05/)
Conservative and Unionist Party 12, Liberal Democrats 3, Independent 1
Democracy Club







### Does the council think something here is wrong?



If you represent Fareham and think a figure here is wrong, out of date or unfairly presented, email
[hello@whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk](mailto:hello@whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk?subject=Right%20of%20reply%3A%20Fareham%20report%20card) with this page’s address and the source you would point to.
Every correction is logged, with its date, on the [corrections page](/corrections/).






## How much of the council's spending does this cover?



Council tax paid for **18.7%** of the money
Fareham had to spend in 2025-26. The rest came from government grants
(32.3%), business rates
(11.3%) and fees, charges and other income
(37.6%).
That is why a grant cut can raise your bill even when the council has not changed what it does.
[See where it goes](/council-tax/england/fareham/where-it-goes/#d-bill).





## Where can I find out more?



[What council tax is and why it works this way](/council-tax/), including why the bands
are still based on 1991 property values in England and Scotland, and
[how every area compares](/councils/), everything else on
[Fareham: parking, roads, your MP and local services](/your-area/fareham/), and
[Fareham on the council map](/councils/map/?council=E07000087).






## Common questions


How much is council tax in Fareham?
Band D is £2,271 a year for 2026-27. Band A is £1,514 and the top band £4,541.Is council tax in Fareham higher than average?
No. Band D here is £140 below the England average of £2,411.





## Sources for this page





| Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/council-tax-statistics) | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | the 2026–27 financial year | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) |





Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations
are ours, under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Related pages

- [Next in this section: Where your council tax goes in Fareham](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/england/fareham/where-it-goes/)
- [Back to Fareham: your area](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/your-area/fareham/)
- [How much is council tax and what does it pay for?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/)
- [Who is my MP, and what does their office cost?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/mps/)
- [Where does my tax money actually go?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/for-every-100-pounds-of-tax/)

## More from this publisher

- [UK tax calculators](https://howlongisit.co.uk)

Published by [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). The figures belong to the publishers listed under Sources and are used under their licences. Figures last updated 29 September 2026.
