Having difficulty paying your Council Tax?

If you are having difficulty paying your Council Tax, you should let us know as soon as possible. The links of this page might help you identify any support that might be available to you.

We are sympathetic to circumstances of genuine hardship and we will work with you to put arrangements in place that will take your financial circumstances into account. Please remember that Council Tax is a priority debt and should be paid before other non-priority debts.

Contact us about your arrears

If you have arrears and want to discuss a payment plan with us, please provide details of your income and expenditure, and your proposed offer of payment. 

Help for low income households

If you are on a low income, or receiving benefits, you may qualify for additional support, under the Local Council Tax reduction scheme.

Find out what happens if you don't pay

If you are unable to pay your Council Tax and are worried about what might happen, you can find out more about our recovery process.

Get independent debt advice

If you are worried about debt or struggling to manage your finances, it can be difficult to know where to turn for help. In addition to the Council, there are various independent agencies and charities offering free, independent and confidential advice who may be able to help.

Check if you should receive a discount or exemption

Did you know if you live on your own you might be able to get a discount of 25%. Full Council Tax is based on 2 adults living in a property.

If one of those adults or all adults in your home fall into a specific group of people, for example, students or carers, you may also get a discount. In some circumstances an exemption may apply, meaning no Council Tax is payable.

Other ways we can help you with your Council Tax bill

Do you find it difficult paying on the 1st of each month? We can change your payment date and how often you have to pay.

You can choose to pay on the 1st, 7th, 15th or 25th of each month. You can change your payment date online.

If these dates are not suitable you may still be able to agree a special payment arrangement where you can choose your own date for each payment and the frequency of your payments. These can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Have you considered paying by Direct Debit?

Do you currently pay over 10 months? 

Did you know that you can pay over 12 months to March of each financial year? You can change your payment date online.

Your Council Tax charge will remain the same but you will pay slightly less each month by spreading the cost over two extra months (when paying from April).

Are you struggling to pay your Council Tax because you also have arrears payments for previous years?

You may be able to renegotiate the terms of your arrangement on your arrears in order to keep your Council Tax for this year and future years up to date.

Keeping up to date with your current instalments can save you money, as you will avoid the addition of extra court costs and the worry of further recovery action.

Contact us now to discuss your payment options on 01302 734454.

If you can't pay, don`t wait until you get a reminder or a Summons. Contact us now.

You can contact the Council Tax team on 01302 734454. We will ask you to tell us how much you earn and what your household commitments are. We may be able to agree payment term with you that take into account your financial circumstances.

Please be aware that certain arrangements will be subject to the addition of costs but this will be avoided where possible.

Council Tax staff are trained to deal with customers with financial difficulty and will treat you with courtesy and respect. 

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Last updated: 05 September 2023 17:12:54

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