Scotland · Council tax 2026/27
East Lothian Council council tax 2026/27
Band D council tax in East Lothian for 2026/27 is £1,697.62 a year — about £141.47 a month over 12 instalments. This is the council tax element only; water and sewerage are charged separately by Scottish Water on the same bill.
Charts
Up 30.3% across 6 years (2021/22 to 2026/27). Source: MHCLG live tables, Band D area council tax (OGL).
Band D (the benchmark) highlighted. Hover any band for the annual and monthly figure.
All bands, 2026/27
| Band | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | Change | Monthly (÷12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | £1,052.79 | £1,131.75 | +7.5% | £94.31 |
| Band B | £1,228.25 | £1,320.37 | +7.5% | £110.03 |
| Band C | £1,403.72 | £1,509.00 | +7.5% | £125.75 |
| Band D | £1,579.18 | £1,697.62 | +7.5% | £141.47 |
| Band E | £2,074.87 | £2,230.48 | +7.5% | £185.87 |
| Band F | £2,566.17 | £2,758.63 | +7.5% | £229.89 |
| Band G | £3,092.57 | £3,324.51 | +7.5% | £277.04 |
| Band H | £3,869.00 | £4,159.17 | +7.5% | £346.60 |
Council tax only; water/wastewater excluded. 7.5% increase.
Source
gov.scot: Band D council tax 1996-97 to 2026-27 (official statistics)
Read directly from the council's own page, verified 2026-06-10. Figure includes: Full Band D bill (Scotland levies no police/fire precept via council tax)..
East Lothian area profile
Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates (OGL). Average house price: HM Land Registry UK HPI (OGL) (01/07/2026).
East Lothian council finances
Revenue headroom
Charging a full 100% second-home premium (currently 0%) on ~569 second homes could raise an estimated £965,946/yr — rough estimate, assumes Band D.
Modelled estimate from the council's second-home count (ONS/StatsWales) and Band D, against its current second-home premium. Not a council figure.
Contacting East Lothian
Switchboard: 01620 827 827
Departments
council tax: No direct public phone/email; council states to contact the Council Tax team using their online form
housing: Repairs and local team contact routed via online reporting form / Rent Advice Surgery locations; no direct departmental phone/email published
waste recycling: Listed as an online-only service on the main contact page
environmental health: Listed as an online-only service on the main contact page
Not sure which council covers your address? Use gov.uk/find-local-council.
Frequently asked
How much is council tax in East Lothian in 2026/27?+
Band D council tax in East Lothian for 2026/27 is £1,697.62 per year, which works out at about £141.47 per month over 12 instalments. This is the council tax element only — Scottish Water's water and sewerage charges are billed on top of it.
What are all the council tax bands in East Lothian for 2026/27?+
The full 2026/27 charges in East Lothian are: Band A £1,131.75, Band B £1,320.37, Band C £1,509.00, Band D £1,697.62, Band E £2,230.48, Band F £2,758.63, Band G £3,324.51, Band H £4,159.17. This is the council tax element only — Scottish Water's water and sewerage charges are billed on top of it.
How much is Band A council tax in East Lothian?+
Band A — the lowest band costs £1,131.75 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £94.31 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band B council tax in East Lothian?+
Band B costs £1,320.37 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £110.03 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band C council tax in East Lothian?+
Band C costs £1,509.00 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £125.75 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band D council tax in East Lothian?+
Band D costs £1,697.62 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £141.47 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band E council tax in East Lothian?+
Band E costs £2,230.48 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £185.87 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band F council tax in East Lothian?+
Band F costs £2,758.63 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £229.89 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band G council tax in East Lothian?+
Band G costs £3,324.51 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £277.04 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
How much is Band H council tax in East Lothian?+
Band H — the highest band costs £4,159.17 in East Lothian for 2026/27 — about £346.60 per month over 12 instalments. Council tax element only; Scottish Water charges are billed on top.
Did council tax go up in East Lothian for 2026/27?+
Yes — the headline charge in East Lothian changed by +7.5% compared with 2025/26.
What does the East Lothian council tax figure include?+
As presented by the council, the figure includes: Full Band D bill (Scotland levies no police/fire precept via council tax).. This is the council tax element only — Scottish Water's water and sewerage charges are billed on top of it.
Can I pay less council tax in East Lothian?+
Possibly. If you are the only counted adult in your home you get a 25% single person discount; full-time student households are exempt; adapted homes qualify for a disability band reduction; and every council runs a means-tested Council Tax Reduction scheme. See CouncilData's discounts and exemptions guide for details.
How do I challenge my council tax band in East Lothian?+
In Scotland you lodge a proposal with your local assessor via the Scottish Assessors Association. It is free, and CouncilData's guide to challenging your band walks through the evidence to gather first.
Where does this East Lothian council tax data come from?+
Directly from the council's own published page ("gov.scot: Band D council tax 1996-97 to 2026-27 (official statistics)"), read and independently re-checked on 2026-06-10. Every CouncilData record carries a source URL, a verified date, and passes arithmetic checks against statutory band ratios. Free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0).
Explore further
Similar Band D in Scotland
Cite this page: CouncilData, “East Lothian Council council tax 2026/27”, https://councildata.co.uk/council-tax/east-lothian/ — free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Figures verified against the council's own published page.