How do domestic rates work in Northern Ireland?

For households in Northern Ireland who pay domestic rates.

Applies to: Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

Northern Ireland has domestic rates instead of Council Tax, based on your home's capital value.

Your bill is the capital value times the regional rate plus your council's district rate.
Capital value is based on prices on 1 January 2005, capped at £400,000.
The 2026/27 domestic regional rate is 0.005559; total rates range from 0.009525 to 0.012214.
You got 4% off for paying your 2026/27 bill in full by 8 May 2026.
Pensioners aged 70 or over living alone can get 20% off through Lone Pensioner Allowance.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Scotland: Check mygov.scot for Scotland
Wales: Check gov.wales for Wales

Key facts

Based on 2005 values
Capped at £400,000
Regional rate 0.005559
4% off for early payment

How your rates bill is worked out

Northern Ireland has domestic rates instead of Council Tax. Your bill uses this sum:

Capital value of your home x (regional rate + district rate) = rates you pay

Capital value is what your home would have been worth on 1 January 2005.
The cap. The highest capital value used is £400,000. Any value above that is ignored.
Regional rate pays for regional services. It is the same everywhere.
District rate pays for your local council's services. It is different in each council area.

Domestic rate poundages for 2026/27

A poundage is the amount you pay for each £1 of capital value. The domestic regional rate for 2026/27 is 0.005559. It went up by 5.0%, which the Executive says adds about 63p a week to the average household bill.

Council	District rate	Total rate
Antrim and Newtownabbey	0.004425	0.009984
Ards and North Down	0.004435	0.009994
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon	0.005412	0.010971
Belfast	0.004492	0.010051
Causeway Coast and Glens	0.005101	0.010660
Derry City and Strabane	0.006655	0.012214
Fermanagh and Omagh	0.004468	0.010027
Lisburn and Castlereagh	0.003966	0.009525
Mid and East Antrim	0.005668	0.011227
Mid Ulster	0.004330	0.009889
Newry, Mourne and Down	0.004999	0.010558

The average household rates bill in 2025/26 was £1,239.

Worked example 1: a home in Belfast

A house in Belfast has a capital value of £150,000.

£150,000 x 0.010051 = £1,507.65 for 2026/27
If paid in full by 8 May 2026, 4% off: £1,507.65 minus £60.31 = £1,447.34

Worked example 2: a home over the cap

A house in Lisburn and Castlereagh has a capital value of £500,000. Only £400,000 is used.

£400,000 x 0.009525 = £3,810.00 for 2026/27

What changes the amount

Paying early. You get 4% off if you paid your 2026/27 bill in full on or before Friday 8 May 2026.
Lone Pensioner Allowance. 20% off if you are 70 or over and live alone. It is not means-tested.
Disabled Persons Allowance. 25% off if your home has been adapted for a disabled person, such as an extra bathroom or room for wheelchair use.
Rate Rebate. If you get Universal Credit, you can apply for Rate Rebate to help pay your rates.

You must keep paying your bill while an allowance application is decided. If it is approved, Land & Property Services refunds or credits what you overpaid.

How to check and pay

You can see an estimate of your annual bill by searching your address on the Land & Property Services valuation search. You can pay online, by phone, by Direct Debit or standing order, or at the Post Office. If you cannot pay, contact Land & Property Services straight away.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

How rate bills are calculated

Common questions

Is there Council Tax in Northern Ireland?

No. Homes in Northern Ireland pay domestic rates, run by Land & Property Services.

How much are rates on a £150,000 house in Belfast?

In 2026/27 it is £150,000 x 0.010051, which is £1,507.65 a year before any discounts.

Can I get help paying rates?

Yes. Help includes Rate Rebate for people on Universal Credit and Lone Pensioner Allowance.

Official sources

1.How rate bills are calculated (nidirect)www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/how-rate-bills-are-calculated
2.Rate poundages (Department of Finance NI)www.finance-ni.gov.uk/articles/rate-poundages
3.Ratepayers to start receiving bills for 2026/27 (Department of Finance NI)www.finance-ni.gov.uk/news/ratepayers-start-receiving-bills-202627-next-week
4.Lone Pensioner Allowance (nidirect)www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/lone-pensioner-allowance
5.A guide to rates (nidirect)www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/guide-rates

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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