Orkney Islands Council Tax 2026
Scotland
According to Scottish Government, Council Tax Datasets, Orkney Islands's Band D Council Tax is £1,669.07 for 2026-27, the 333rd highest of 350 UK billing authorities (higher than 5% of them) and 29% below the UK average of £2,337.00. Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea.
How we calculate this rank & percentile
We compare every UK billing authority with a published 2026-27 Band D rate (350 in total). Rank is one plus the number with a higher charge, so equal charges share a rank. Percentile is round(authorities with a lower charge ÷ 350 × 100). The UK average is the simple mean of every council's Band D rate in our coverage set. Because the rank spans all three nations, it compares what each authority charges, not what each charge buys. Scotland sets its own 1991 valuation thresholds, and the band E to H multipliers were raised in April 2017, so Scottish upper-band charges are a higher multiple of Band D than the English ratios produce. Scottish bills also arrive alongside water and sewerage charges that this figure excludes. Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea. See our methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.
- £1,669.07
- Band D charge · 2026 statutory
- Among the lowest in the UK
- +6.00%
- year-on-year vs £1,574.60
- Upper-quarter rise
- -28.6%
- vs UK avg £2,337.00
- £4,089.22
- Band H · 882/360 of Band D
Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea. Open North Ayrshire for the closest published Band D on the same vintage.
Orkney Islands · year-on-year Band D
What changed for Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands's Band D Council Tax rose from £1,574.60 (2025-26) to £1,669.07 (2026-27). Among 350 billing authorities by percentage rise, it ranks 43.
How to read this Band D change
This is a change in the published Band D charge, not advice about household bills. Precepts, discounts, and banding decide the amount you pay.
See UK year-on-year changesOrkney Islands bands A-H schedule
Per-band charge 2026
Orkney Islands's nearest Band D charges nationwide
Orkney Islands is 333rd of 350 on the national Band D list at £1,669.07. Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea. The six closest published 2026-27 rates, led by North Ayrshire, ignore geography on purpose, so a map neighbour is not mistaken for a charge twin. Read the difference column as a pound gap; cross-check the Scotland ranking further down when you care about local neighbours.
National low-charge outlier: this rate is inside the least costly 10% of the UK corpus, a position the average conceals.
| Council | Band D | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| North Ayrshire | £1,685.84 | +£16.77 |
| Clackmannanshire | £1,683.67 | +£14.60 |
| West Dunbartonshire | £1,681.53 | +£12.46 |
| Inverclyde | £1,673.85 | +£4.78 |
| Perth & Kinross | £1,673.84 | +£4.77 |
| Kensington & Chelsea | £1,666.65 | −£2.42 |
Band A–H charge table (2026/2027)
| Band | Annual Charge | Monthly | Sole occupant (−25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | £1,112.71 | £111.27 | £834.53 |
| B | £1,298.17 | £129.82 | £973.63 |
| C | £1,483.62 | £148.36 | £1,112.72 |
| D | £1,669.07 | £166.91 | £1,251.80 |
| E | £2,192.97 | £219.30 | £1,644.73 |
| F | £2,712.24 | £271.22 | £2,034.18 |
| G | £3,268.60 | £326.86 | £2,451.45 |
| H | £4,089.22 | £408.92 | £3,066.92 |
Scotland 1991 valuation ranges (Band A–H)
- Band A: Up to £27,000 (1991 valuation)
- Band B: £27,001 to £35,000
- Band C: £35,001 to £45,000
- Band D: £45,001 to £58,000 (reference band)
- Band E: £58,001 to £80,000
- Band F: £80,001 to £106,000
- Band G: £106,001 to £212,000
- Band H: Over £212,000
Source: Scottish Government, Council Tax Datasets (area Band D) + statutory Scotland band ratios documented in our methodology. Monthly figure is the annual charge / 10 (most councils use 10 monthly instalments). The sole-occupant column applies the statutory 25% single-person discount, payable when only one adult lives in the property.
Orkney Islands's nearest year-on-year movers
Orkney Islands moved Band D from £1,574.60 to £1,669.07 (+6.00%, competition rank 43rd of 350). The closest published movements sit with Monmouthshire, East Renfrewshire, Wigan.
- Monmouthshire6.12%
- East Renfrewshire6.00%
- Wigan5.98%
- Manchester5.91%
- Glasgow City5.90%
- Bolton5.88%
How Orkney Islands compares in Scotland
Among the 32 billing authorities in Scotland, Orkney Islands's 2026-27 Band D charge of £1,669.07 ranks 20th of 32, higher than 38% of them (£7.07 above the Scotland average of £1,662.00). Its nearest-charged neighbours in the region:
| Region rank | Council | Band D 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| 18th | Inverclyde | £1,673.85 |
| 19th | Perth & Kinross | £1,673.84 |
| 20th | Orkney Islands | £1,669.07 |
| 21st | Highland | £1,633.99 |
| 22nd | West Lothian | £1,627.59 |
Regional rank out of 32 Scotland billing authorities by 2026-27 Band D charge (1 = dearest). See the full UK ranking or the complete directory.
Questions answered from Orkney Islands's data
These answers use Orkney Islands's £1,669.07 Band D rate, the Scotland statutory multipliers.
Is Orkney Islands Council Tax above the UK average?
Orkney Islands's 2026-27 Band D rate is £1,669.07, 28.6% below the UK average of £2,337.00. It has competition rank 333rd of 350, with equal charges sharing a rank. Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea.
Which councils have charges closest to Orkney Islands?
The closest published Band D rates are North Ayrshire (£1,685.84), Clackmannanshire (£1,683.67), West Dunbartonshire (£1,681.53), Inverclyde (£1,673.85), Perth & Kinross (£1,673.84), Kensington & Chelsea (£1,666.65). The comparison table above shows the six nearest authorities and the exact difference from Orkney Islands.
How did Orkney Islands Council Tax change for 2026-27?
Band D moved from £1,574.60 to £1,669.07, a 6.00% rise. Its competition rank by annual increase is 43rd of 350; the closest movements include Monmouthshire, East Renfrewshire, Wigan.
Advice boundary for Orkney Islands
They are not personalised advice - expand a question for the figure that matches the tables above for the 2026-27 vintage, then follow the methodology or gov.uk links for a binding bill on a specific property.
Council Tax figure, precept and liability disclaimer
Council Tax charges shown on this page are derived from the published Scotland Band D dataset and statutory Scotland band ratios. They are intended as informational guidance, not as a personalised tax statement or legal advice. Your actual bill depends on your property's assigned band and on any discounts or exemptions that apply to your household. Orkney Islands's Band D is the council rate alone; Scottish bills also collect Scottish Water charges that are not in this figure. Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea. For a binding figure consult your Orkney Islands Council Tax bill or the official gov.uk Council Tax service. Figures published in 2026 reflect the 2026/2027 financial year only.
UK tools, directories and band challenge
- Compare councils side-by-side →
- Browse all UK councils →
- Band D national rollup →
- Challenge your band guide →
Charges shown for Orkney Islands are the council-set Band D and Scottish band multiples; Scottish Water is billed separately. Nearest published Band D rates sit with North Ayrshire, Clackmannanshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, then Perth & Kinross, Kensington & Chelsea.