Setting and calculating Council Tax

Council tax levels are set in February each year by full council. Following budget setting, the council is required to publish certain information about council tax when it issues your bill.

For further information on

• who has to pay council tax
• how your council tax is calculated
• discounts
• local council tax support

For more information see

•  Council Tax explained

The presentation on council tax bills, including how the percentage increases are shown, is required by Government legislation and the total amount will include precepts from four organisations

• Isle of Wight Council
• Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service
• Town, Parish or Community council relevant to your area

The council tax increase for the Isle of Wight Council is calculated using our total amount of council tax including the adult social care precept.

The worked example below sets out the calculations. The amounts used in the example below are for a Band D property. The calculations for other bands can be found in the 'calculation of precept increases' document below.

Isle of Wight Council’s total 2024/25 council tax = £1,908.39 (£1,627.99 all council services plus £280.40 for adult social care)

Plus: Increase for all council services 2025/26 = £57.15 (2.99%)

Plus: Increase specifically for adult social care 2025/26 = £38.16 (2.00%)

Equals: Isle of Wight Council’s total 2025/26 council tax = £2,003.70

In previous years, the council tax bill showed five precepts. This year they only show four because of a change in the government legislation. The adult social care precept is no longer shown separately and is included in the main precept for the Isle of Wight Council.

Your council tax bill will show the percentage changes to the nearest decimal place, as required by legislation.

We are also required to publish the following notices which provide further information about your council tax bill

• Council tax banding notice (PDF, 439KB)
• Council tax calculation (PDF, 137KB)
• Council tax valuation bandings (PDF, 484KB)
• Council tax town, parish and community council precepts (PDF, 100KB)
• Calculation of precept increases (PDF, 80KB)

If you know someone who is fraudulently claiming Housing Benefit call the Department of Works and Pensions hotline 0800 854440

Your call will be dealt with confidentially. 

Or you can report in writing by post to: NBFH, PO Box 224, PR1 1GP