Council Tax payment dates 2026-27: why most bills stop for two months
Council Tax is usually split into 10 monthly payments rather than 12, GOV.UK says, which is why many households get February and March free before the next bill arrives.
Council Tax for the 2026-to-2027 financial year, which began on 1 April 2026, is usually split into 10 monthly payments rather than 12, according to GOV.UK’s guidance on paying a Council Tax bill. That standard pattern means a bill covering April 2026 to January 2027, with no instalment due in February or March 2027 — the two months before the next year’s charge starts.
The bill itself sets out the exact amount and the payment dates, GOV.UK says, and those details depend on the local council rather than being fixed nationally. Anyone struggling to keep up with payments is told to contact their council directly, rather than simply missing a payment.
| Point | GOV.UK’s guidance |
|---|---|
| Usual number of instalments | 10 monthly payments |
| Can it be spread further | councils can offer 12 monthly payments instead, on request |
| If a bill is overpaid | contact the local council if a refund hasn’t come automatically |
| If payments fall behind | the council can take action to reclaim any debt owed |
Why is nothing due in February and March?
GOV.UK’s guidance does not name February and March directly, but its own description of the standard 10-payment pattern — running from the start of the financial year — leaves those final two months of the year without an instalment under the default schedule. A council that agrees to 12 monthly payments instead removes that gap, spreading the same annual total across the full year.
Can a household ask for more time to pay?
GOV.UK’s advice is to contact the local council immediately, rather than waiting. The council can help, for example by spreading the remaining balance over 12 months instead of 10, GOV.UK says. Falling behind carries a real consequence: the council can take action to reclaim any Council Tax debt.
How can a bill be paid?
GOV.UK says Council Tax can usually be paid online, and cash payments can also be made through Paypoint, Payzone or Quickcards at post offices, banks, newsagents and convenience stores, though the exact options available depend on what is printed on the individual bill.
What about a refund for an overpaid bill?
Anyone who believes they have overpaid Council Tax and has not received an automatic refund is told by GOV.UK to contact their local council directly to have it corrected.