Which months don't you pay council tax?

Council tax By Council Tax Helpline, 10 September 2026

In short

Council tax is usually paid in 10 monthly instalments, April to January. February and March are the months with nothing to pay.
It is not free: you pay the same yearly amount, just over 10 months.
In England and Wales you have a legal right to pay over 12 months instead, which lowers each payment.
From April 2027, new council taxpayers in England get 12 instalments by default, and everyone from April 2028.
Miss an instalment and you can lose the right to pay monthly altogether.

The short answer: February and March

In England and Wales, council tax is normally paid in 10 monthly instalments, from April to January. So there is usually nothing to pay in February and March.

These months are not “free”. The council tax year runs from April to March, and you pay the whole year’s bill over the first 10 months. February and March are simply already paid for.

Why 10 months?

It is the default set out in the rules councils follow. It has been that way since council tax began in 1993. Some people like the two months off. Others find 10 larger payments harder to manage than 12 smaller ones.

Your right to pay over 12 months

You have a legal right to pay over 12 months instead of 10, in England and Wales. Each payment is smaller by about a sixth, and you pay the same in total.

Ask your council in writing, by letter, email or its online form
It must agree
Ask before 1 April to spread the whole year. If you ask part way through, the rest of the bill is spread over the months left

What is changing in England

From April 2027, new council taxpayers in England will be billed over 12 months by default, and from April 2028, everyone will. You will still be able to ask to pay over 10 months if you prefer.

If you moved in part way through the year

Your bill is usually split into one fewer instalment than there are months left in the year. A bill sent between January and March may have to be paid in one amount.

In Scotland

Scottish councils also usually collect council tax in 10 instalments. Ask your council about spreading payments over 12 months.

Miss a payment and you can lose the instalments

Whichever pattern you pay in, missing an instalment is serious. In England, if you do not catch up within 7 days of a reminder, you can lose the right to pay by instalments, and the whole rest of the year’s bill becomes due at once. See what happens if you don’t pay council tax.

Where are you with your council tax?

Choose the one that fits best and an adviser will call you back. Free, confidential, and no obligation.

Takes about 3 minutes.