What is council tax?
Council tax is a form of local taxation you pay for domestic properties.
The money raised is used to help pay for council services, such as education, social services, and refuse collection.
The council tax charge runs from 1st April to 31st March and we will send you an annual bill each February or March for the coming year. Although the full amount is officially due on 1st April we spread your charge, usually over 10 monthly payments.
Who pays council tax?
Normally the person living in the property will pay the council tax, providing it is their only or main residence and they are over 18 years of age.
If more than one person lives in the property, we will charge the person who comes first on the following list:
- Owner who lives in the property
- Tenant who lives in the property
- Any person who lives in the property
- Owner who does not live in the property
If two or more people have the same interest in the property, for example they are joint owners, or are married or living together as though married, we will create a council tax bill with both their names on. In this case, either person named on the bill is responsible for paying the charge.
The owners of the following types of property are responsible for paying the bill rather than the people who live in them:
- Residential care homes
- Houses split into different households
- Religious communities
- Houses for residential staff
- Certain properties for religious ministers
- Houses for asylum seekers
When will I receive my council tax bill?
Once you have told us you have moved into a property, and you are responsible for paying council tax, we aim to send your bill within two weeks. Please see our section on
understanding your council tax bill if you need help understanding the information on it.
If you haven't recently moved we will send you an annual bill each March.
Your bill will tell you how much you need to pay, when and how you can pay. It's important you pay as instructed on your bill, as simply paying within the month will not always avoid recovery action.
If you've lost your bill you can
request a copy council tax bill online.
How much will I have to pay?
This depends on the
valuation band of your property and your household's circumstances.
We will calculate your bill using the information you give us and send you a bill showing the amount you owe and how to pay.
Once your account is set up you can check your council tax balance online using our
council tax account enquiry service. To use this service you will need to have your council tax account number and your property reference to hand. You can find these on your council tax bill.
Can I get money off my bill?
Depending on your circumstances, and those of your property, you may be able to claim money off your council tax bill.
If you live on your own, you will be able to claim a
single person discount.
If you are on a low income, you may be able to claim
council tax benefit.
There are other discounts available. Read more about
ways to reduce your council tax bill and find out how to claim them.
I've moved address, what do I have to do?
You need to tell us straight away if you have moved, or if someone has moved into your home with you.
To tell us you have moved home you can:
Do you share my council tax records with anyone else?
The information you give us is used and held in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, and the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.
We have a duty to protect public funds and we may use council tax data in cross system and cross council comparison checks to ensure our records are correct. The checks may include, but is not limited to, matching council tax data with electoral registration, and the residency records of other organisations.
We may also disclose relevant information to other council departments where it is necessary and lawful to do so. We may also share information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds.
What if I disagree with my council tax bill?
If you think your bill is wrong for any reason, please
contact us immediately so we can check your details are correct.
Do not ignore your council tax bill. If you don't pay as instructed on your bill we will take action to recover the amount.
Can I appeal against my council tax bill?
You may appeal if:
- you think you shouldn't be responsible for paying council tax, for example, because you are not the resident or owner,
- because your property is exempt,
- we have made a mistake when we calculated your bill.
If you want to appeal on these grounds, you must tell us in writing, and we will review your account. You can use our council tax
notice of objection form (PDF 70kb) to do this.
If you make an appeal and you are not satisfied that a proper decision has been reached, or you are not told of a decision within two months of making your appeal, you can then appeal to a Valuation Tribunal or the Listing Officer.
Making an appeal does not allow you to stop paying your council tax bill in the meantime. If you stop making payments, we may take recovery action against you and add costs to your bill.
If your appeal is successful you will be entitled to a refund of any overpaid council tax.
For more information on the council tax appeals process, visit the
Communities and Local Government website website.
Facebook
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
StumbleUpon
Reddit