London Council Tax 2025/26 (Band D)
Each London borough sets its own Council Tax, in addition to the Greater London Authority (GLA) precept. Band D rates range from £1,014.84 in Wandsworth (cheapest) to £2,356.62 in Kingston upon Thames (dearest) — a difference of more than £1,300 per year.
| Borough | Band D rate (£) |
|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | £2,073.42 |
| Barnet | £2,156.16 |
| Bexley | £2,200.07 |
| Brent | £2,128.85 |
| Bromley | £1,956.42 |
| Camden | £1,881.93 |
| City of London | £1,131.13 |
| Croydon | £2,247.42 |
| Ealing | £2,104.86 |
| Enfield | £2,189.94 |
| Greenwich | £2,046.85 |
| Hackney | £1,933.06 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | £1,500.78 |
| Haringey | £2,127.40 |
| Harrow | £2,255.84 |
| Havering | £2,249.27 |
| Hillingdon | £1,991.96 |
| Hounslow | £2,030.61 |
| Islington | £1,864.30 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | £1,601.39 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £2,356.62 |
| Lambeth | £1,869.61 |
| Lewisham | £2,154.07 |
| Merton | £1,932.10 |
| Newham | £1,893.04 |
| Redbridge | £2,099.81 |
| Richmond upon Thames | £2,178.49 |
| Southwark | £1,854.79 |
| Sutton | £2,152.25 |
| Tower Hamlets | £1,769.46 |
| Waltham Forest | £2,152.45 |
| Wandsworth | £1,014.84 |
| Westminster | £1,097.79 |
Source: London Councils / individual borough data, 2025/26. Includes GLA precept. Band A is 6/9 of Band D; Band H is 18/9 of Band D.
London Property & Stamp Duty
London property prices push most buyers into the higher SDLT bands. The average London house price is around £530,000 (2025 Land Registry data) — well above the first-time buyer relief cap (£500,000) and squarely into the 5% band.
- £300,000 home: £2,500 SDLT (standard) / £0 (first-time buyer)
- £500,000 home: £15,000 SDLT (standard) / £10,000 (FTB)
- £750,000 home: £27,500 SDLT (standard) — no FTB relief
- £1,000,000 home: £41,250 SDLT (standard)
- £2,000,000 home: £153,750 SDLT (standard)
Try our Stamp Duty Calculator or the programmatic £500k stamp duty page for ready-to-go calculations.
London Salaries & Take-Home Pay
London salaries are typically 20–40% higher than the UK national average. ONS median full-time pay in London (2024) is ~£45,000 — but the cost-of-living differential often eats this up.
| Gross London salary | Net per year | Net per month |
|---|---|---|
| £30,000 | £24,922 | £2,077 |
| £45,000 (median) | £34,820 | £2,902 |
| £60,000 | £44,022 | £3,669 |
| £80,000 | £55,742 | £4,645 |
| £100,000 | £67,304 | £5,609 |
Figures exclude pension contributions and student loan repayments. Use our Take-Home Pay Calculator for a personalised figure.
London Living Wage
The voluntary London Living Wage(set by Living Wage Foundation) is £13.85/hour (2024 rate) — significantly higher than the statutory £12.21 NLW, reflecting London's higher cost of living. Accredited London Living Wage employers commit to paying this minimum.