# Council tax in City of Edinburgh url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/scotland/city-of-edinburgh/ 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 City of Edinburgh Last updated 29 September 2026. Figures refresh every night. [How each figure is worked out](/methodology/). Council tax in **City of Edinburgh** for 2026-27 is **£1,626 a year for a Band D home**, £1,084 for Band A and £3,984 for the top band. That is £27 below the Scotland average of £1,653. It ranks 23 of 32 billing areas in Scotland. Figures are the council's own set rates. Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source: [Scottish Government](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). ## Key figures - £1,626Band D a year, 2026-27 ▲ As of 6 April 2026 - £1,084Band A, the lowest As of 6 April 2026 - −£27Band D against the Scotland average of £1,653 Below average As of 6 April 2026 - 23 of 32Rank in Scotland, highest first As of 6 April 2026 Source: [Scottish Government](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). ## What is the bill for each band? £1,626 Band D, City of Edinburgh, 2026-27 | Band | A year | A month | | --- | --- | --- | | Band ADetails | £1,084.03 | £90.34 | | A month£90.34 | | | | Band BDetails | £1,264.71 | £105.39 | | A month£105.39 | | | | Band CDetails | £1,445.38 | £120.45 | | A month£120.45 | | | | Band DDetails | £1,626.05 | £135.50 | | A month£135.50 | | | | Band EDetails | £2,136.45 | £178.04 | | A month£178.04 | | | | Band FDetails | £2,642.33 | £220.19 | | A month£220.19 | | | | Band GDetails | £3,184.35 | £265.36 | | A month£265.36 | | | | Band HDetails | £3,983.82 | £331.99 | | A month£331.99 | | | ### What does this mean for you? Choose your band to see your bill in City of Edinburgh 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 City of Edinburgh: **£1,626 a year**, or £162.61 a month over the usual ten instalments. Living alone as the only adult, it would be £1,220 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: [Scottish Government](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). ## Who gets the money? In Scotland the whole bill goes to the council. Police and fire have been funded centrally since 2013, so there is no police or fire precept. Water and sewerage charges appear on the same bill but belong to Scottish Water and are not council tax. [Where your council tax goes: from your bill to each service](/council-tax/scotland/city-of-edinburgh/where-it-goes/) ## How does it compare? Band D here is **£27 below** the Scotland average, 23 of 32 councils from the highest. **City of Edinburgh among the Scotland councils nearest it, Band D 2026-27** - 19. Perth & Kinross £1,674 - 20. Orkney Islands £1,669 - 21. Highland £1,634 - 22. West Lothian £1,628 - ◆23. City of Edinburgh £1,626 - 24. East Renfrewshire £1,620 - 25. Scottish Borders £1,619 - 26. Angus £1,599 - 27. Dumfries & Galloway £1,579 Scotland average: £1,653 ◆ City of Edinburgh Ranked highest first. [Every council](/councils/) is in the full table. **Show as a table** | Name | Band D | | --- | --- | | 19. Perth & Kinross | £1,674 | | 20. Orkney Islands | £1,669 | | 21. Highland | £1,634 | | 22. West Lothian | £1,628 | | 23. City of Edinburgh (City of Edinburgh) | £1,626 | | 24. East Renfrewshire | £1,620 | | 25. Scottish Borders | £1,619 | | 26. Angus | £1,599 | | 27. Dumfries & Galloway | £1,579 | Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source: [Scottish Government](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). ## How does City of Edinburgh compare? The report card Official figures on complaints, finances, audit, pay and services for City of Edinburgh, each from the body that published it and set against the figure for Scotland. See every council on the [council map](/councils/map/?council=S12000036). - Council tax rise this year4.0%Lower than the Scotland figure of 7.1% - Council tax per head£727Higher than the Scotland figure of £638 - Ombudsman investigations upheld50% (1 of 2)Lower than the Scotland figure of 61% - Reserves as a share of net spending24%Higher than the Scotland figure of 16% - Recycling rate37.5%Lower than the Scotland figure of 44.3% - Planning decisions on time55.3%Lower than the Scotland figure of 62.9% Each figure is set against the figure for Scotland 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 | City of Edinburgh | For comparison | | --- | --- | --- | | Complaints receivedDetails | 200 | — | | For comparison— | | | | Complaints determinedDetails | 176 | — | | For comparison— | | | | InvestigationsDetails | 2 | — | | For comparison— | | | | Investigations fully or partly upheldDetails | 1 | 61% of investigations across Scottish councils | | For comparison61% of investigations across Scottish councils | | | Source: [Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, SPSO annual statistics: complaints by authority](https://www.spso.org.uk/statistics), 2025-26. ### How healthy are its finances? | Measure | City of Edinburgh | For comparison | | --- | --- | --- | | Net revenue spending, 2024-25Details | £1.24bn | — | | For comparison— | | | | Reserves at the end of 2024-25Details | £297.4m | — | | For comparison— | | | | Reserves as a share of net spendingDetails | 24% | 16% for Scotland | | For comparison16% for Scotland | | | | Outstanding borrowing at 30 June 2026Details | £2.18bn | — | | For comparison— | | | General fund reserves (including amounts earmarked within it) at 31 March, as a share of general fund 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: [Scottish Government, Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics](https://www.gov.scot/collections/local-government-finance-statistics/), 2024-25; [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. ### What have the auditors said? | Report | Title | Published | | --- | --- | --- | | Latest Best Value report (Accounts Commission) | [Best Value: The City of Edinburgh Council](https://audit.scot/publications/best-value-city-of-edinburgh-council) | 24 October 2024 | | Latest annual audit report (Audit Scotland) | [The City of Edinburgh Council annual audit 2024/25](https://audit.scot/publications/the-city-of-edinburgh-council-annual-audit-202425) | 15 October 2025 | The Accounts Commission reports on each council’s Best Value duty in a rolling programme, so the date of the latest report differs from council to council. Follow each link for the findings in full. Source: [Accounts Commission and Audit Scotland, Best Value and annual audit reports](https://audit.scot/best-value), latest report. Checked 22 September 2026. ### What are senior staff and councillors paid? | Measure | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | | --- | --- | --- | | Employees paid £50,000 or moreDetails | 3,244 | 2,827 | | 2024-252,827 | | | | Councillors’ allowancesDetails | £2,048,048 | £1,766,456 | | 2024-25£1,766,456 | | | The count is up 417 on the year before. 'The total number of Council employees receiving more than £50,000 remuneration for the year (including early retirement / voluntary release costs)'. Note 1: 'The total number of Council employees in the table above includes the Council's Senior Officers'. Totals 3,244 (2025/26) and 2,827 (2024/25). The note does not say whether teachers are included. The accounts describe the allowances figure as “Salaries 2,017,640 (2024/25 1,730,980); Expenses claimed by councillors 0 (325); paid directly by the Council 30,408 (35,151); Total 2,048,048 (1,766,456)”. These are draft accounts and may change at audit. Thresholds are not adjusted for inflation, so more staff cross them each year as pay rises. Source: [City of Edinburgh, Unaudited annual accounts 2025-26 – The City of Edinburgh Council](https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/40188/unaudited-annual-accounts-2025-26-the-city-of-edinburgh-council), PDF page 137 (printed page 136), Remuneration report. Checked 24 September 2026. ### How are its services rated? | Measure | City of Edinburgh | For comparison | | --- | --- | --- | | Household waste recycled, calendar year, 2024Details | 37.5% | 44.3% for Scotland | | For comparison44.3% for Scotland | | | | Planning decisions on time, 2024-25Details | 55.3% | 62.9% for Scotland | | For comparison62.9% for Scotland | | | 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 local applications decided within two months, without processing agreements. Recycling rates are measured differently in England, Scotland and Wales, so compare within a nation. Source: [Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Household waste data](https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/waste/waste-data/waste-data-reporting/household-waste-data/), 2024; [Scottish Government, Planning applications statistics](https://www.gov.scot/collections/planning-statistics/), 2024-25. ### What has happened recently? Decisions and publications by official bodies about City of Edinburgh, newest first. Each links to the body that made or published it. News reports are not included. - 1 April 2026 Council tax [Council tax for 2026-27: Band D £1,626, up 4.0% on the year before](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/) Scottish Government - 15 October 2025 Audit [The City of Edinburgh Council annual audit 2024/25](https://audit.scot/publications/the-city-of-edinburgh-council-annual-audit-202425) Audit Scotland - 24 October 2024 Audit [Best Value: The City of Edinburgh Council](https://audit.scot/publications/best-value-city-of-edinburgh-council) Accounts Commission ### Does the council think something here is wrong? If you represent City of Edinburgh 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%20City%20of%20Edinburgh%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 **13.6%** of the money City of Edinburgh had to spend in 2024-25. The rest came from government grants (36.2%), business rates (16.7%) and fees, charges and other income (33.6%). 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/scotland/city-of-edinburgh/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 [City of Edinburgh: parking, roads, your MP and local services](/your-area/city-of-edinburgh/), and [City of Edinburgh on the council map](/councils/map/?council=S12000036). ## Common questions How much is council tax in City of Edinburgh? Band D is £1,626 a year for 2026-27. Band A is £1,084 and the top band £3,984.Is council tax in City of Edinburgh higher than average? No. Band D here is £27 below the Scotland average of £1,653. ## Sources for this page | Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Council Tax Assumptions: Council Tax by Band](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/) | Scottish 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 City of Edinburgh](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/scotland/city-of-edinburgh/where-it-goes/) - [Back to City of Edinburgh: your area](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/your-area/city-of-edinburgh/) - [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.