General description

The Welsh Government conducts the council tax dwellings survey (CT1 form). Data are available on the number of dwellings eligible for the council tax in each local authority for the next financial year, analysed by council tax band, including the numbers of properties eligible for council tax discounts and exemptions.

Data cover Wales for all years since 1996-97. Data for earlier years is available from the Knowledge and Analytical Services division of the Welsh Government for the former districts of Wales, which were re-organised on 1 April 1996.

The survey has been conducted every October to December since 1993-94. Results are available in early January, approximately three months before the beginning of the reference financial year.

Council tax is a charge levied on each domestic dwelling for the provision of local authority services. This includes elements for the county or county borough council, together with elements for the police authority and, if one exists, for the local community council. In 1991, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) assessed the properties in each county or county borough area and placed each dwelling in a valuation band, ranging from A to H. Dwellings in new buildings are placed in one of the bands according to the value that such a dwelling would have been worth in 1991. The dwellings were revalued in 2003 and the bandings revised for the 2005-06 year onwards.

The bandings for Wales based on the 1991 valuation were: A - Up to £30,000; B - £30,001 to £39,000; C - £39,001 to £51,000; D - £51,001 to £66,000; E - £66,001 to £90,000; F - £90,001 to £120,000; G - £120,001 to £240,000; H - £240,001 and above. The bandings for Wales based on the 2003 valuation are: A - under £44,000; B - £44,001 to £65,000; C - £65,001 to £91,000; D - £91,001 to £123,000; E - £123,001 to £162,000; F - £162,001 to £223,000; G - £223,001 to £324,000; H - £324,001 to £424,000; I - £424,001 and above.

Row Descriptions

A1 - All chargeable dwellings
This is not the number of dwellings in each band shown on the valuation list, because that includes dwellings that are exempt from the council tax.
A2 - Dwellings subject to disability reduction
Dwellings subject to a disability reduction are those set out in the Council Tax (Reductions for Disabilities) Regulations.
A3 - Adjusted chargeable dwellings
A dwelling in bands B to H which is subject to a disability reduction receives a reduction of one band for the purposes of calculating the council tax payable. From 1 April 2000, a ratio of 5/9 to a band D dwelling is to be applied to dwellings listed in
B1 - Dwellings with no discounts
The number of dwellings receiving no discounts, in respect of the council tax payable.
B2 - Dwellings with a discount of 25%
The number of dwellings receiving one discount in respect of the council tax payable. Dwellings subject to a discount equal to the appropriate percentage (i.e. 25 per cent) are treated as having one discount.
B3 - Dwellings with a discount of 50%
Dwellings subject to a discount equal to twice the appropriate percentage (i.e. 50 per cent) are treated as having two discounts.
B4 - Total adjusted chargeable dwellings
Total adjusted chargeable dwellings (B1+B2+B3=A3). The figures in this section are a breakdown of the adjusted chargeable dwellings shown in line A3.
C2 - Total discounted dwellings
The total discounted dwellings is calculated by A3-(C1x0.25).
C4 - Total discounted band D equivalent dwellings
The total discounted band D equivalent dwellings is calculated by multiplying the total discounted dwellings by a ratio to band D. The ratios are: A- - 5/9ths, A - 6/9ths, B - 7/9ths, C - 8/9ths, D - 9/9ths, E - 11/9ths, F - 13/9ths, G - 15/9ths, H - 18/9
D2 - Exempt dwellings class O
Exempt dwellings class O (Dwellings owned by the Secretary of State for Defence which are held for armed forces accommodation, other than visiting forces accommodation).
E1 - Total band D equivalent dwellings
Total discounted chargeable dwellings: band D equivalents (=C4 total).
E3 - E1x E2
Discounted chargeable dwellings: band D equivalents adjusted for collection rate (E1 x E2).
E4 - Class O exempt dwellings
The authority's estimate of the amount (if any) that is likely to be paid to the authority by the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of dwellings that fall within Class O.
E5 - Tax setting taxbase
Council tax base for tax-setting purposes (=E3+E4).
E6 - Council taxbase for RSG purposes
100% council tax base for calculating revenue support grant (=E1+E4).

Data collection and calculation

The information presented here is collected via annual returns from Welsh Local Authorities.

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

Data are shown for each financial year from 1996-97 onwards.

Title

Council tax dwellings

Last update

January 2025 January 2025

Next update

January 2026

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Council tax dwellings (CT1) data collection, Welsh Government

Contact email

stats.finance@gov.wales

Designation

National Statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Local authorities

Geographical coverage

Local authorities

Languages covered

English and Welsh

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

Statistical quality

See weblinks

Keywords

Local Government Finance, Council tax, dwellings

Weblinks

The associated statistical releases can be found via the links at the following webpage:
https://gov.wales/statistics-and-research?lang=en
A statistical quality report relating to all Local Government Finance statistical releases can be found at the following webpage:
https://gov.wales/local-government-finance-statistics-quality-report

Name

LGFS0001

Dataset

OData (JSON) https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileName=LGFS0001.zip

Metadata

OData (JSON) https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileName=LGFS0001.xml

Dimensions

OData (JSON) https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileName=LGFS0001_dimensions.csv

Items

OData (JSON) https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileName=LGFS0001_dimensionitems.csv