Council Tax · Scotland · 2026/27
East Lothian council tax 2026/27
Council Tax in East Lothian for 2026/27 is £1,697.62 a year for a Band D home, which is £170 a month over 10 instalments or £141 over 12. Band A is £1,131.75 and Band H is £4,159.17. With the 25% single person discount, Band D comes to £1,273.22. East Lothian has the 11th highest Band D of 32 councils in Scotland, £15.02 above the middle council.
Figures from the official Scotland Council Tax tables for 2026/27, checked on .
Band D a year
£1,698
2026/27
Band D a month
£170
over 10 instalments
Band A a year
£1,132
the lowest band
Living alone, Band D
£1,273
with 25% discount
East Lothian council tax by band, 2026/27
Yearly bill for a home with two adults, the monthly payment over 10 and 12 instalments, and the bill with the single person discount. Property values are as at 1 April 1991.
| Band | Home value in 1991 | Per year | Per month (10) | Per month (12) | Living alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | up to £27,000 | £1,131.75 | £113 | £94 | £848.81 |
| Band B | £27,001 to £35,000 | £1,320.37 | £132 | £110 | £990.28 |
| Band C | £35,001 to £45,000 | £1,509.00 | £151 | £126 | £1,131.75 |
| Band D | £45,001 to £58,000 | £1,697.62 | £170 | £141 | £1,273.22 |
| Band E | £58,001 to £80,000 | £2,230.48 | £223 | £186 | £1,672.86 |
| Band F | £80,001 to £106,000 | £2,758.63 | £276 | £230 | £2,068.97 |
| Band G | £106,001 to £212,000 | £3,324.51 | £332 | £277 | £2,493.38 |
| Band H | more than £212,000 | £4,159.17 | £416 | £347 | £3,119.38 |
What the figures include
Council Tax set by the council for a home with two adults. Water and waste water (sewerage) charges from Scottish Water are billed with Council Tax but are not included here. Figures exclude Scottish Water water and waste water charges, which appear on the same bill.
Which band is your home in?
Bands in Scotland are based on what a home would have sold for on 1 April 1991, not what it is worth now. Band D covered homes worth £45,001 to £58,000. Look up your band on Scottish Assessors Association. If you think it is wrong you can ask for it to be checked, but a review can move a band up as well as down.
Discounts you might get
If you are the only adult in the home, the bill is 25% lower, so Band D in East Lothian falls to £1,273.22. Homes where everyone is a full-time student usually pay nothing. If someone disabled needs extra space or an adapted home, the Disabled Band Reduction charges you one band lower (Band A pays 5/9 of Band D). On a low income, apply to East Lothian for Council Tax Reduction, which each council runs to its own rules.
Paying monthly
Bills are normally split into 10 monthly instalments, April to January. Ask East Lothian if you would rather pay over 12 months.
Guides and definitions
- Mansion tax: what the £2m council tax surcharge will cost you (Guide)
- What happens if you don't pay Council Tax, and how to stop it (Guide)
- Think your Council Tax band is wrong? How to check and challenge it (Guide)
- Council Tax band (A Council Tax band is the valuation band, A to H in England, that sets a home’s share of the local Council Tax bill.)
- Council Tax Reduction (Council Tax Reduction is a means-tested scheme, run by councils, that can cut the Council Tax bill by up to 100% for people on low incomes or benefits.)
- Single person discount (The single person discount takes 25% off your Council Tax bill when you are the only adult counted as living in your home.)
Councils in Scotland with a similar Band D
- North Ayrshire (Band D £1,685.84)
- Aberdeenshire (Band D £1,686.04)
- Renfrewshire (Band D £1,690.56)
- South Ayrshire (Band D £1,694.96)
- Glasgow City (Band D £1,706.00)
- Falkirk (Band D £1,715.09)
- East Ayrshire (Band D £1,717.28)
- Dundee City (Band D £1,729.69)
Common questions
How much is council tax in East Lothian?
For 2026/27, Band D in East Lothian is £1,697.62 a year and Band A is £1,131.75. The highest band, H, is £4,159.17. These are the official figures for a home with two adults.
How much is Band B and Band C council tax in East Lothian?
Band B is £1,320.37 a year (£132 a month over 10 instalments) and Band C is £1,509.00 (£151 a month).
Is East Lothian council tax high?
The 11th highest Band D of 32 councils in Scotland. Its Band D is £1,697.62, which is £15.02 more than the middle council in Scotland (£1,682.60).
How much is the single person discount in East Lothian?
It takes 25% off the bill. For a Band D home in East Lothian that is £424.41 a year off, leaving £1,273.22. You apply to East Lothian council for it.
When do I pay council tax in East Lothian?
The bill for 2026/27 covers 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. It is normally paid in 10 monthly instalments from April to January, and you can ask the council about paying over 12 months.
Sources and assumptions
- Figures are for a home with two adults, before discounts, exemptions or Council Tax Reduction.
- Figures exclude Scottish Water water and waste water charges, which appear on the same bill.
Your bill from East Lothian is the final word on what you owe.