Council Tax

Council Tax is your contribution to the many services we provide, such as collecting rubbish and providing housing, as well as providing funds for the police service, the fire service and schools and other services run by Hampshire County Council.

In this section, you can find out more about Council Tax such as how you can pay, how it is set, what happens if you don't pay and whether you can apply for any discounts.

Fareham's part of the Council Tax increases

Following a consultation with residents living in the Fareham Borough, in early 2025, it has become clear that an increase in Council Tax is necessary to ensure that residents continue to receive the same high level of service they have come to expect. (Find details of how to take part in future consultations here.)

The Fair Funding Review has been deferred until at least the start of the 2026/27 financial year so we will not see any changes arising from this until the 2027/28 financial year and the chances are that finances for District Councils will not benefit from this review mainly due to pressures in other areas such as Adult Social Care and Education.

As well as potential funding reductions we must also plan for other budget pressures that will see spending increase over the next few years. There is an ongoing cost of the homelessness service provision, changing demand for parking income, Hampshire County Council's arrangement for waste & recycling, the emerging waste strategy from central Government, the increasing pressure of maintaining our own assets and managing our woodlands, all of which come at a cost to the Council.  This all comes on top of the current cost of living crisis that has not only seen many households struggle but has also seen this Council experience cost increases due to high inflation.  

Despite this increase, Fareham's part of the Council Tax continues to be one of the lowest district Council Taxes in the country, (in 2024, the 2nd lowest in Hampshire and 4th lowest Nationally).  This is achieved by running our services very efficiently and by careful financial management.

Just over 9% of the total Council Tax you pay goes towards services provided by Fareham Borough Council. Fareham must set its Council Tax @ Band D and all the other Bands are calculated from this sum. 

The charge for 2025/26 is £191.42 (£185.86 in 2024/25), a total increase of £5.56 for 2025/2026 or 2.99%.  

(Hampshire County Council - There is no longer a requirement to show the adult social care precept separately, it is now included within the Hampshire County Council precept above)  

Paying your Council Tax

You can pay your Council Tax in several ways and over 10 or 12 months in a normal year.  Here you can find you out which one will best suit you. You can also find out what you should do if you are having problems paying and how you can see your bills online.

 Are you entitled to discounts and exemptions?

In some circumstances, you may not have to pay the full Council Tax amount you have been asked for. In this section, you can find out about discounts and exemptions and whether you might qualify. It includes links to the Benefits web pages so that if you are on a low income you can see if you might get Council Tax Support.

 Are you moving or have your circumstances changed?

It is very important that you let us know if you move into or out of any property or of any chance in your circumstances so that you pay the correct level of Council Tax. We will need evidence of this. In all cases, you must let us know if you are no longer entitled to a discount or an exemption. We will take legal action if anyone makes a fraudulent claim. In this section, you can see more about this.

 How is my Council Tax calculated?

How much Council Tax you pay depends on the valuation band your property falls into. Here, you can find out how bands are set and the amount of Council Tax payable for each.

 Freeman of the Land and Similar Groups and Challenges to the legality of Council Tax

In the UK, liability for Council Tax is determined by the Local Government Finance Act 1992. This statute sets out a local authority's rights to demand Council Tax to fund services and who is liable to pay. The statute was created by a democratically elected Parliament of the United Kingdom and has received the assent of the Crown and subsequent statutory regulations.

On occasions we are contacted by residents who refer to themselves as "Freeman of the Land" or similar groups, these groups wrongly believe that using an archaic law means they don't have to pay Council Tax, this belief originates from the many misleading articles and templates on the internet regarding the legality of Council Tax and also the recovery of unpaid Council Tax through the Magistrate's Court.  

The argument that the Council Tax Bill must be headed "Demand Notice" is incorrect, there is no prescription in The Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) Regulations 2011 as to how the bill must be titled. The bill must meet the requirements of Schedule 1 to the 2011 Regulations. 

You do not have a choice whether you are liable to pay Council Tax, and being a 'freeman' or something similar does not exempt anyone from payment. If you have any concerns over the charging of Council Tax, you should seek proper independent legal advice, rather than relying on internet sources or forum statements which are legally incorrect and misleading.

 Council Tax Privacy Statement (92 KB)

Your information will be used by Fareham Borough Council to administer and calculate your liability to taxes or entitlement to benefits. We have a duty to protect public funds and will use this information for the prevention and detection of fraud, auditing, monitoring, statistical and other research.  The information may be shared with third parties (council departments, other councils, government agencies or external agencies). Further information is available in the Council Tax and Business Rate Privacy Notice (92 KB).