Is council tax charged on an empty home after someone dies?

Not while the home is in exemption Class F. That runs from the date of death until six months after probate or letters of administration are granted, provided the home stays unoccupied and has not been sold or transferred. After that, council tax is charged. The council for the area decides whether the exemption applies.

Which council area has the most homes left empty after a death?

By number, Birmingham, with 2,106 in 2025. Set against the number of homes in the area, Adur has the highest rate at 1 in 108 homes.

How often are these figures updated?

Once a year. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publishes the Council Taxbase statistics each November and this page is updated when they appear. The next release is due on 18 November 2026.

Instruct Us

◆RESEARCH

Homes left empty after a death: England, 2025

In autumn 2025, 124,064 homes in England were exempt from council tax because they had been left empty by someone who had died. That is 1 in every 208 homes.

Updated 10 November 2026. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Council Taxbase 2025 in England. The 2026 figures are due on 18 November 2026 and this page will be updated that day.

124,064

homes exempt from council tax as left empty by a person who has died

1 in 208

of all homes in England

6.6% fewer

than in 2024

38.9% more

than in 2019

The count since 2015

Every council in England reports the figure each autumn. In 2015 it was 76,575. It reached 135,698 in 2023, the highest in this series, and was 124,064 in 2025: 8.6% below that peak and 38.9% above the 89,301 recorded in 2019.

224 of the 296 councils recorded fewer such homes in 2025 than in 2024, and 71 recorded more.

Homes left empty after a death are the largest group of empty homes exempt from council tax. They made up 58.5% of the 212,004 unoccupied exempt homes in 2025. The next largest group, homes left empty by someone who has moved into a hospital or care home, numbered 38,872.

Homes exempt from council tax as left empty by a deceased person, England, 2015 to 2025 (thousands)

Homes exempt from council tax as left empty by a deceased person, England, 2015 to 2025 (thousands)
year	Homes (thousands)
2015	76.6
2016	76
2017	79.5
2018	87.9
2019	89.3
2020	110.5
2021	110.7
2022	121.9
2023	135.7
2024	132.9
2025	124.1

Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Council Taxbase 2025 in England, Table 5.

Homes in council tax exemption Class F, England
Year	Homes	Change on previous year
2015	76,575	–
2016	75,982	−593 (−0.8%)
2017	79,515	+3,533 (+4.6%)
2018	87,893	+8,378 (+10.5%)
2019	89,301	+1,408 (+1.6%)
2020	110,472	+21,171 (+23.7%)
2021	110,654	+182 (+0.2%)
2022	121,900	+11,246 (+10.2%)
2023	135,698	+13,798 (+11.3%)
2024	132,883	−2,815 (−2.1%)
2025	124,064	−8,819 (−6.6%)

Probate grants and the count

The Probate Registry issues grants much more quickly than it did. In July to September 2023 a grant of probate took about 14 weeks on average from application. In July to September 2025 it took about 5 weeks. (Ministry of Justice, Family Court Statistics Quarterly.)

A home stays in this exemption from the date of death until six months after the grant, unless it is occupied, sold or transferred sooner. The count therefore reflects how long estates take to apply for the grant and how long the home stays empty afterwards, as well as the Registry’s own turnaround.

The council tax figures do not record why a home is still empty. Our article The grant is no longer the bottleneck looks at what sets the timeline once the grant arrives.

Where the rate is highest and lowest

Set against the number of homes in each council area, the rate is highest in Adur (1 in 108 homes), Rother and Worthing. It is lowest in Tower Hamlets, Islington and Lambeth. One council, Isles of Scilly, recorded none.

By number of homes, Birmingham has the most (2,106), followed by Cornwall (1,808) and North Yorkshire (1,707).

Highest rates, 2025
Council	Homes	Per 1,000 homes	1 in
Adur	270	9.29	108
Rother	427	9.09	110
Worthing	471	9.05	110
Derbyshire Dales	312	8.71	115
Mole Valley	326	8.17	122
Eastbourne	388	7.77	129
North Somerset	791	7.73	129
Havant	440	7.67	130
Teignbridge	501	7.65	131
Castle Point	300	7.56	132

Lowest rates, 2025
Council	Homes	Per 1,000 homes	1 in
Tower Hamlets	160	1.06	941
Islington	176	1.57	639
Lambeth	303	2.04	490
City of London	18	2.23	448
Kensington and Chelsea	204	2.28	439
Hammersmith and Fulham	225	2.35	425
Bradford	534	2.38	420
Newham	317	2.38	419
Wandsworth	385	2.43	412
Westminster	328	2.48	404

By region

The rate is highest in the South West (5.67 per 1,000 homes) and lowest in London (3.66).

Homes left empty after a death by region, 2025
Region	Homes	Per 1,000 homes	Change on 2024
South West	15,354	5.67	−5.2%
South East	22,052	5.27	−6.2%
North West	17,725	5.10	−9.6%
East Midlands	11,203	5.00	−5.3%
West Midlands	13,120	4.96	−6.7%
East of England	14,220	4.95	−3.5%
Yorkshire and the Humber	11,027	4.32	−7.3%
North East	5,292	4.10	−9.2%
London	14,071	3.66	−7.5%

Every council in England

All 296 billing authorities, ranked by the number of homes left empty after a death per 1,000 homes on the valuation list. Search for a council, filter by region or sort by a column.

Search for a council

Region

Showing 296 of 296 councils

Homes left empty after a death by council, 2025, with 2024 for comparison
		Region			1 in	Homes 2024
1	Adur	South East	270	9.29	108	242	+28 (+11.6%)
2	Rother	South East	427	9.09	110	400	+27 (+6.8%)
3	Worthing	South East	471	9.05	110	462	+9 (+1.9%)
4	Derbyshire Dales	East Midlands	312	8.71	115	254	+58 (+22.8%)
5	Mole Valley	South East	326	8.17	122	270	+56 (+20.7%)
6	Eastbourne	South East	388	7.77	129	419	−31 (−7.4%)
7	North Somerset	South West	791	7.73	129	890	−99 (−11.1%)
8	Havant	South East	440	7.67	130	412	+28 (+6.8%)
9	Teignbridge	South West	501	7.65	131	453	+48 (+10.6%)
10	Castle Point	East of England	300	7.56	132	306	−6 (−2.0%)
11	Thanet	South East	519	7.39	135	573	−54 (−9.4%)
12	Bexley	London	744	7.31	137	854	−110 (−12.9%)
13	Gedling	East Midlands	406	7.31	137	414	−8 (−1.9%)
14	Lewes	South East	346	7.30	137	377	−31 (−8.2%)
15	Tendring	East of England	555	7.28	137	550	+5 (+0.9%)
16	Sefton	North West	945	7.18	139	1,126	−181 (−16.1%)
17	Bromley	London	1,030	7.16	140	1,123	−93 (−8.3%)
18	Broxbourne	East of England	299	7.04	142	260	+39 (+15.0%)
19	Chichester	South East	434	7.01	143	488	−54 (−11.1%)
20	Torbay	South West	479	6.96	144	572	−93 (−16.3%)
21	East Devon	South West	521	6.91	145	523	−2 (−0.4%)
22	King's Lynn and West Norfolk	East of England	526	6.90	145	587	−61 (−10.4%)
23	Erewash	East Midlands	367	6.89	145	298	+69 (+23.2%)
24	North Warwickshire	West Midlands	205	6.87	146	244	−39 (−16.0%)
25	Chesterfield	East Midlands	350	6.81	147	292	+58 (+19.9%)
26	Bury	North West	581	6.79	147	564	+17 (+3.0%)
27	Solihull	West Midlands	650	6.77	148	703	−53 (−7.5%)
28	Melton	East Midlands	171	6.75	148	231	−60 (−26.0%)
29	Dorset	South West	1,270	6.75	148	1,577	−307 (−19.5%)
30	Dover	South East	379	6.75	148	384	−5 (−1.3%)
31	Oadby and Wigston	East Midlands	166	6.74	148	164	+2 (+1.2%)
32	Wealden	South East	508	6.73	149	564	−56 (−9.9%)
33	Arun	South East	535	6.69	149	568	−33 (−5.8%)
34	Tandridge	South East	256	6.68	150	209	+47 (+22.5%)
35	Staffordshire Moorlands	West Midlands	302	6.67	150	328	−26 (−7.9%)
36	Fylde	North West	277	6.63	151	307	−30 (−9.8%)
37	Gosport	South East	250	6.60	152	281	−31 (−11.0%)
38	Canterbury	South East	472	6.52	153	541	−69 (−12.8%)
39	Sevenoaks	South East	341	6.46	155	343	−2 (−0.6%)
40	Lancaster	North West	431	6.43	156	478	−47 (−9.8%)
41	South Hams	South West	308	6.42	156	311	−3 (−1.0%)
42	Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole	South West	1,220	6.41	156	1,197	+23 (+1.9%)
43	Herefordshire	West Midlands	580	6.40	156	614	−34 (−5.5%)
44	East Lindsey	East Midlands	461	6.31	159	512	−51 (−10.0%)
45	Mid Devon	South West	244	6.30	159	220	+24 (+10.9%)
46	Southend-on-Sea	East of England	524	6.29	159	527	−3 (−0.6%)
47	Cornwall	South West	1,808	6.28	159	1,760	+48 (+2.7%)
48	Reigate and Banstead	South East	407	6.26	160	385	+22 (+5.7%)
49	Brentwood	East of England	222	6.26	160	241	−19 (−7.9%)
50	Rochford	East of England	240	6.24	160	270	−30 (−11.1%)
51	Westmorland and Furness	North West	735	6.23	160	783	−48 (−6.1%)
52	Wirral	North West	943	6.19	161	989	−46 (−4.7%)
53	Blaby	East Midlands	275	6.12	163	267	+8 (+3.0%)
54	Stroud	South West	350	6.12	163	364	−14 (−3.8%)
55	Wyre Forest	West Midlands	300	6.10	164	288	+12 (+4.2%)
56	Folkestone and Hythe	South East	327	6.06	165	362	−35 (−9.7%)
57	Three Rivers	East of England	237	6.05	165	232	+5 (+2.2%)
58	Fareham	South East	310	6.04	165	305	+5 (+1.6%)
59	West Devon	South West	166	6.03	166	149	+17 (+11.4%)
60	Cotswold	South West	279	6.02	166	274	+5 (+1.8%)
61	Amber Valley	East Midlands	369	5.99	167	432	−63 (−14.6%)
62	Babergh	East of England	266	5.98	167	237	+29 (+12.2%)
63	Shropshire	West Midlands	906	5.92	169	944	−38 (−4.0%)
64	South Holland	East Midlands	267	5.92	169	230	+37 (+16.1%)
65	Broadland	East of England	373	5.91	169	441	−68 (−15.4%)
66	Malvern Hills	West Midlands	230	5.91	169	261	−31 (−11.9%)
67	Great Yarmouth	East of England	297	5.91	169	281	+16 (+5.7%)
68	Cumberland	North West	811	5.85	171	833	−22 (−2.6%)
69	North Devon	South West	289	5.84	171	281	+8 (+2.8%)
70	North Norfolk	East of England	331	5.83	172	369	−38 (−10.3%)
71	Torridge	South West	202	5.83	172	207	−5 (−2.4%)
72	Waverley	South East	335	5.79	173	315	+20 (+6.3%)
73	Somerset	South West	1,578	5.79	173	1,605	−27 (−1.7%)
74	High Peak	East Midlands	254	5.78	173	263	−9 (−3.4%)
75	Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber	1,520	5.78	173	1,612	−92 (−5.7%)
76	Wyre	North West	325	5.78	173	407	−82 (−20.1%)
77	Elmbridge	South East	348	5.78	173	358	−10 (−2.8%)
78	Chorley	North West	307	5.76	174	327	−20 (−6.1%)
79	Forest of Dean	South West	236	5.75	174	263	−27 (−10.3%)
80	Welwyn Hatfield	East of England	293	5.75	174	233	+60 (+25.8%)
81	Charnwood	East Midlands	457	5.72	175	392	+65 (+16.6%)
82	Blackpool	North West	415	5.71	175	500	−85 (−17.0%)
83	Rutland	East Midlands	104	5.71	175	116	−12 (−10.3%)
84	Runnymede	South East	223	5.63	178	274	−51 (−18.6%)
85	New Forest	South East	469	5.61	178	613	−144 (−23.5%)
86	Rushcliffe	East Midlands	310	5.59	179	301	+9 (+3.0%)
87	North Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	1,707	5.56	180	1,697	+10 (+0.6%)
88	Hyndburn	North West	211	5.55	180	235	−24 (−10.2%)
89	Cheltenham	South West	319	5.54	181	332	−13 (−3.9%)
90	North Kesteven	East Midlands	305	5.50	182	324	−19 (−5.9%)
91	Swale	South East	370	5.48	183	396	−26 (−6.6%)
92	East Hampshire	South East	310	5.47	183	298	+12 (+4.0%)
93	Trafford	North West	571	5.47	183	580	−9 (−1.6%)
94	East Suffolk	East of England	671	5.45	184	725	−54 (−7.4%)
95	Spelthorne	South East	244	5.44	184	255	−11 (−4.3%)
96	Eastleigh	South East	335	5.44	184	323	+12 (+3.7%)
97	Epping Forest	East of England	319	5.43	184	344	−25 (−7.3%)
98	South Oxfordshire	South East	366	5.43	184	375	−9 (−2.4%)
99	Epsom and Ewell	South East	180	5.40	185	202	−22 (−10.9%)
100	Tewkesbury	South West	250	5.37	186	317	−67 (−21.1%)
101	Havering	London	584	5.36	186	656	−72 (−11.0%)
102	North East Derbyshire	East Midlands	263	5.36	187	297	−34 (−11.4%)
103	Dudley	West Midlands	762	5.35	187	841	−79 (−9.4%)
104	Mansfield	East Midlands	276	5.34	187	268	+8 (+3.0%)
105	Liverpool	North West	1,291	5.33	188	1,356	−65 (−4.8%)
106	Buckinghamshire	South East	1,271	5.32	188	1,428	−157 (−11.0%)
107	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	888	5.31	188	939	−51 (−5.4%)
108	Enfield	London	677	5.27	190	797	−120 (−15.1%)
109	Cheshire West and Chester	North West	881	5.27	190	895	−14 (−1.6%)
110	South Staffordshire	West Midlands	260	5.26	190	294	−34 (−11.6%)
111	Stratford-on-Avon	West Midlands	356	5.25	190	393	−37 (−9.4%)
112	Lichfield	West Midlands	260	5.25	190	285	−25 (−8.8%)
113	St Helens	North West	453	5.25	191	479	−26 (−5.4%)
114	Bedford	East of England	425	5.24	191	440	−15 (−3.4%)
115	South Tyneside	North East	382	5.23	191	380	+2 (+0.5%)
116	York	Yorkshire and the Humber	490	5.22	192	518	−28 (−5.4%)
117	Tunbridge Wells	South East	276	5.20	192	279	−3 (−1.1%)
118	Wychavon	West Midlands	325	5.20	192	348	−23 (−6.6%)
119	Windsor and Maidenhead	South East	351	5.19	193	350	+1 (+0.3%)
120	Stockport	North West	693	5.19	193	757	−64 (−8.5%)
121	Maldon	East of England	158	5.16	194	182	−24 (−13.2%)
122	Central Bedfordshire	East of England	696	5.15	194	527	+169 (+32.1%)
123	Walsall	West Midlands	610	5.14	195	640	−30 (−4.7%)
124	Rugby	West Midlands	268	5.13	195	220	+48 (+21.8%)
125	Horsham	South East	342	5.11	196	399	−57 (−14.3%)
126	Cheshire East	North West	978	5.11	196	834	+144 (+17.3%)
127	Mid Suffolk	East of England	258	5.08	197	271	−13 (−4.8%)
128	Hinckley and Bosworth	East Midlands	269	5.08	197	297	−28 (−9.4%)
129	Redcar and Cleveland	North East	338	5.06	198	332	+6 (+1.8%)
130	Bracknell Forest	South East	277	5.05	198	280	−3 (−1.1%)
131	Oldham	North West	498	5.03	199	533	−35 (−6.6%)
132	Stafford	West Midlands	323	5.02	199	321	+2 (+0.6%)
133	East Hertfordshire	East of England	342	5.01	200	323	+19 (+5.9%)
134	South Norfolk	East of England	340	5.00	200	399	−59 (−14.8%)
135	Harborough	East Midlands	225	4.99	200	272	−47 (−17.3%)
136	Wigan	North West	767	4.99	201	868	−101 (−11.6%)
137	South Ribble	North West	262	4.98	201	326	−64 (−19.6%)
138	Nuneaton and Bedworth	West Midlands	308	4.98	201	325	−17 (−5.2%)
139	Brighton and Hove	South East	678	4.97	201	648	+30 (+4.6%)
140	Hertsmere	East of England	228	4.96	202	249	−21 (−8.4%)
141	Exeter	South West	304	4.95	202	346	−42 (−12.1%)
142	Harrow	London	479	4.94	203	481	−2 (−0.4%)
143	Ashfield	East Midlands	286	4.91	204	303	−17 (−5.6%)
144	Swindon	South West	503	4.91	204	534	−31 (−5.8%)
145	West Northamptonshire	East Midlands	914	4.90	204	1,007	−93 (−9.2%)
146	Stockton-on-Tees	North East	446	4.90	204	455	−9 (−2.0%)
147	St Albans	East of England	311	4.89	204	364	−53 (−14.6%)
148	Cannock Chase	West Midlands	225	4.87	205	220	+5 (+2.3%)
149	Warwick	West Midlands	340	4.86	206	360	−20 (−5.6%)
150	Mid Sussex	South East	344	4.86	206	392	−48 (−12.2%)
151	Rochdale	North West	476	4.85	206	535	−59 (−11.0%)
152	Winchester	South East	286	4.84	207	313	−27 (−8.6%)
153	Brent	London	654	4.82	207	570	+84 (+14.7%)
154	South Derbyshire	East Midlands	247	4.82	207	260	−13 (−5.0%)
155	North Hertfordshire	East of England	290	4.82	207	344	−54 (−15.7%)
156	Wolverhampton	West Midlands	549	4.81	208	573	−24 (−4.2%)
157	Northumberland	North East	784	4.81	208	721	+63 (+8.7%)
158	Ashford	South East	286	4.81	208	266	+20 (+7.5%)
159	Dacorum	East of England	325	4.76	210	291	+34 (+11.7%)
160	West Lindsey	East Midlands	223	4.75	211	259	−36 (−13.9%)
161	Wiltshire	South West	1,107	4.74	211	1,204	−97 (−8.1%)
162	Basildon	East of England	380	4.73	211	388	−8 (−2.1%)
163	Newcastle-under-Lyme	West Midlands	277	4.73	212	309	−32 (−10.4%)
164	Huntingdonshire	East of England	397	4.72	212	363	+34 (+9.4%)
165	Knowsley	North West	337	4.68	214	450	−113 (−25.1%)
166	West Berkshire	South East	338	4.67	214	363	−25 (−6.9%)
167	Bolton	North West	602	4.66	215	856	−254 (−29.7%)
168	Vale of White Horse	South East	302	4.66	215	314	−12 (−3.8%)
169	Colchester	East of England	404	4.65	215	399	+5 (+1.3%)
170	Gloucester	South West	281	4.65	215	307	−26 (−8.5%)
171	Bromsgrove	West Midlands	201	4.65	215	222	−21 (−9.5%)
172	Test Valley	South East	274	4.64	215	303	−29 (−9.6%)
173	Surrey Heath	South East	179	4.62	216	185	−6 (−3.2%)
174	Maidstone	South East	363	4.60	217	379	−16 (−4.2%)
175	Barnet	London	740	4.60	217	1,013	−273 (−26.9%)
176	North West Leicestershire	East Midlands	227	4.59	218	257	−30 (−11.7%)
177	West Oxfordshire	South East	249	4.59	218	261	−12 (−4.6%)
178	Darlington	North East	247	4.59	218	283	−36 (−12.7%)
179	Plymouth	South West	565	4.58	218	611	−46 (−7.5%)
180	North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	347	4.57	219	410	−63 (−15.4%)
181	West Lancashire	North West	242	4.57	219	260	−18 (−6.9%)
182	Breckland	East of England	301	4.54	220	323	−22 (−6.8%)
183	Calderdale	Yorkshire and the Humber	442	4.53	221	392	+50 (+12.8%)
184	Bath and North East Somerset	South West	395	4.53	221	436	−41 (−9.4%)
185	Newark and Sherwood	East Midlands	266	4.52	221	288	−22 (−7.6%)
186	Wakefield	Yorkshire and the Humber	747	4.52	221	770	−23 (−3.0%)
187	Birmingham	West Midlands	2,106	4.51	222	2,267	−161 (−7.1%)
188	Medway	South East	548	4.50	222	647	−99 (−15.3%)
189	Wokingham	South East	337	4.48	223	361	−24 (−6.6%)
190	South Kesteven	East Midlands	303	4.48	223	306	−3 (−1.0%)
191	Luton	East of England	382	4.47	224	380	+2 (+0.5%)
192	Fenland	East of England	216	4.47	224	263	−47 (−17.9%)
193	Tonbridge and Malling	South East	258	4.46	224	281	−23 (−8.2%)
194	Woking	South East	199	4.45	225	240	−41 (−17.1%)
195	Slough	South East	255	4.44	225	286	−31 (−10.8%)
196	Derby	East Midlands	512	4.44	225	532	−20 (−3.8%)
197	Coventry	West Midlands	682	4.44	225	801	−119 (−14.9%)
198	Richmond upon Thames	London	380	4.43	226	417	−37 (−8.9%)
199	Tameside	North West	468	4.42	226	551	−83 (−15.1%)
200	Pendle	North West	184	4.41	227	223	−39 (−17.5%)
201	Tamworth	West Midlands	155	4.41	227	177	−22 (−12.4%)
202	Guildford	South East	276	4.40	227	338	−62 (−18.3%)
203	Sandwell	West Midlands	599	4.38	229	648	−49 (−7.6%)
204	Warrington	North West	425	4.36	229	514	−89 (−17.3%)
205	Ribble Valley	North West	130	4.36	229	167	−37 (−22.2%)
206	Oxford	South East	278	4.35	230	351	−73 (−20.8%)
207	Broxtowe	East Midlands	227	4.34	231	290	−63 (−21.7%)
208	Lincoln	East Midlands	207	4.33	231	238	−31 (−13.0%)
209	Ipswich	East of England	271	4.33	231	297	−26 (−8.8%)
210	Barnsley	Yorkshire and the Humber	499	4.31	232	605	−106 (−17.5%)
211	East Staffordshire	West Midlands	243	4.30	233	252	−9 (−3.6%)
212	Cherwell	South East	311	4.29	233	332	−21 (−6.3%)
213	Doncaster	Yorkshire and the Humber	620	4.28	234	701	−81 (−11.6%)
214	South Cambridgeshire	East of England	320	4.28	234	348	−28 (−8.0%)
215	South Gloucestershire	South West	552	4.27	234	680	−128 (−18.8%)
216	Bassetlaw	East Midlands	247	4.27	234	293	−46 (−15.7%)
217	Rushmoor	South East	183	4.26	235	202	−19 (−9.4%)
218	Sutton	London	368	4.26	235	445	−77 (−17.3%)
219	Kirklees	Yorkshire and the Humber	823	4.25	235	924	−101 (−10.9%)
220	Kingston upon Thames	London	299	4.24	236	315	−16 (−5.1%)
221	Nottingham	East Midlands	622	4.21	238	639	−17 (−2.7%)
222	Hastings	South East	188	4.20	238	297	−109 (−36.7%)
223	Uttlesford	East of England	172	4.20	238	160	+12 (+7.5%)
224	Gravesham	South East	190	4.20	238	182	+8 (+4.4%)
225	Rossendale	North West	138	4.19	239	128	+10 (+7.8%)
226	North Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	328	4.19	239	380	−52 (−13.7%)
227	Crawley	South East	198	4.19	239	198	0 (0.0%)
228	Rotherham	Yorkshire and the Humber	512	4.18	240	491	+21 (+4.3%)
229	West Suffolk	East of England	353	4.17	240	332	+21 (+6.3%)
230	Braintree	East of England	297	4.17	240	307	−10 (−3.3%)
231	Redbridge	London	449	4.15	241	497	−48 (−9.7%)
232	Portsmouth	South East	390	4.14	241	426	−36 (−8.5%)
233	Stoke-on-Trent	West Midlands	496	4.14	242	519	−23 (−4.4%)
234	Stevenage	East of England	160	4.14	242	171	−11 (−6.4%)
235	East Cambridgeshire	East of England	172	4.13	242	198	−26 (−13.1%)
236	Manchester	North West	1,047	4.13	242	1,176	−129 (−11.0%)
237	Blackburn with Darwen	North West	264	4.11	243	340	−76 (−22.4%)
238	Hillingdon	London	483	4.08	245	520	−37 (−7.1%)
239	Merton	London	358	4.07	245	396	−38 (−9.6%)
240	Newcastle upon Tyne	North East	575	4.07	245	566	+9 (+1.6%)
241	Lewisham	London	539	4.01	249	557	−18 (−3.2%)
242	Boston	East Midlands	128	3.99	251	144	−16 (−11.1%)
243	Dartford	South East	202	3.98	251	201	+1 (+0.5%)
244	North Tyneside	North East	406	3.98	252	560	−154 (−27.5%)
245	Halton	North West	235	3.95	253	303	−68 (−22.4%)
246	Watford	East of England	171	3.93	254	222	−51 (−23.0%)
247	Bristol	South West	836	3.92	255	785	+51 (+6.5%)
248	Preston	North West	276	3.92	255	316	−40 (−12.7%)
249	Thurrock	East of England	275	3.91	256	313	−38 (−12.1%)
250	Isle of Wight	South East	285	3.89	257	399	−114 (−28.6%)
251	Sunderland	North East	520	3.86	259	580	−60 (−10.3%)
252	Croydon	London	644	3.81	262	557	+87 (+15.6%)
253	Norwich	East of England	264	3.81	262	257	+7 (+2.7%)
254	Hart	South East	164	3.81	262	187	−23 (−12.3%)
255	Southampton	South East	420	3.77	265	457	−37 (−8.1%)
256	Chelmsford	East of England	306	3.72	269	385	−79 (−20.5%)
257	Redditch	West Midlands	140	3.69	271	126	+14 (+11.1%)
258	Burnley	North West	158	3.66	273	174	−16 (−9.2%)
259	Waltham Forest	London	405	3.65	274	423	−18 (−4.3%)
260	Haringey	London	417	3.63	275	447	−30 (−6.7%)
261	Hartlepool	North East	168	3.62	276	199	−31 (−15.6%)
262	Reading	South East	280	3.62	276	285	−5 (−1.8%)
263	Worcester	West Midlands	173	3.60	278	207	−34 (−16.4%)
264	Hackney	London	424	3.51	285	453	−29 (−6.4%)
265	Leicester	East Midlands	508	3.49	286	560	−52 (−9.3%)
266	Kingston upon Hull	Yorkshire and the Humber	437	3.48	287	490	−53 (−10.8%)
267	Hounslow	London	385	3.46	289	362	+23 (+6.4%)
268	Basingstoke and Deane	South East	281	3.42	292	305	−24 (−7.9%)
269	Gateshead	North East	327	3.42	292	353	−26 (−7.4%)
270	Durham	North East	876	3.42	293	1,105	−229 (−20.7%)
271	North Northamptonshire	East Midlands	551	3.40	294	666	−115 (−17.3%)
272	Telford and Wrekin	West Midlands	289	3.40	294	328	−39 (−11.9%)
273	Ealing	London	510	3.40	294	578	−68 (−11.8%)
274	Middlesbrough	North East	223	3.35	298	297	−74 (−24.9%)
275	Bolsover	East Midlands	128	3.27	306	163	−35 (−21.5%)
276	Milton Keynes	South East	407	3.20	313	381	+26 (+6.8%)
277	Greenwich	London	396	3.15	317	430	−34 (−7.9%)
278	Camden	London	355	3.11	321	389	−34 (−8.7%)
279	Peterborough	East of England	283	3.09	324	316	−33 (−10.4%)
280	Barking and Dagenham	London	247	3.01	332	254	−7 (−2.8%)
281	Leeds	Yorkshire and the Humber	1,133	3.00	333	1,326	−193 (−14.6%)
282	Harlow	East of England	117	2.88	347	156	−39 (−25.0%)
283	Salford	North West	368	2.68	374	444	−76 (−17.1%)
284	Southwark	London	388	2.58	388	351	+37 (+10.5%)
285	Cambridge	East of England	153	2.51	398	159	−6 (−3.8%)
286	Westminster	London	328	2.48	404	371	−43 (−11.6%)
287	Wandsworth	London	385	2.43	412	367	+18 (+4.9%)
288	Newham	London	317	2.38	419	418	−101 (−24.2%)
289	Bradford	Yorkshire and the Humber	534	2.38	420	645	−111 (−17.2%)
290	Hammersmith and Fulham	London	225	2.35	425	199	+26 (+13.1%)
291	Kensington and Chelsea	London	204	2.28	439	238	−34 (−14.3%)
292	City of London	London	18	2.23	448	32	−14 (−43.8%)
293	Lambeth	London	303	2.04	490	278	+25 (+9.0%)
294	Islington	London	176	1.57	639	244	−68 (−27.9%)
295	Tower Hamlets	London	160	1.06	941	176	−16 (−9.1%)
296	Isles of Scilly	South West	0	0.00	–	5	−5 (−100.0%)

Council figures (CSV)England series, 2015 to 2025 (CSV)

What the figures count

The exemption.: Class F is one of the classes of home exempt from council tax under the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992. It covers a home that has been unoccupied since the death of its owner or tenant. The exemption runs from the date of death until six months after probate or letters of administration are granted, and ends sooner if the home is occupied, sold or transferred.
Not every empty home.: A home that is still empty more than six months after the grant leaves Class F, so these figures do not count every home standing empty after a death.
Rented homes.: The figures include homes the person rented, where the estate is still liable for the rent. Not every home counted is waiting to be sold.
The source.: The figures come from the Council Taxbase return that every billing authority in England makes to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government each October. The 2025 figures cover homes on the valuation list at 10 September 2025. All 296 authorities responded.
The rates.: Rates are our calculation from the same return: Class F homes divided by all homes on the valuation list in that council area.
Small councils.: Councils with few homes have small counts, so their percentage changes can move sharply from one year to the next.
Coverage.: England only. Council tax figures for Wales and Scotland are published separately.

◆COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions about the figures

124,064 homes were exempt from council tax in autumn 2025 as left empty by a person who has died, according to returns from all 296 councils in England. The figure includes rented homes and leaves out homes still empty more than six months after probate was granted.

Use these figures

You are welcome to quote these figures and reuse the tables. Please credit Prospect PS and link to this page.

Suggested citation

Prospect PS (2026). Homes left empty after a death: England, 2025. Analysis of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Council Taxbase statistics. https://www.prospectps.co.uk/research/homes-empty-after-a-death

Sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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