Council Tax

Most residents in an area must pay council tax, as this funds local services such as rubbish collection and a local police force. Council Tax is payable whether you live in a house or on a houseboat, and whether you own or rent your property. The amount of Council Tax you pay depends on the ‘valuation band’ in which your residence is located, as well as how much is spent on public services in your local area. In England, Scotland and Wales, valuation bands are categorised with a letter from A-H, although the way in which valuation bands are calculated differs across England, Scotland and Wales, to reflect local property prices.

There is only one Council Tax bill payable per home, and it is usually the responsibility of the person living in the property to pay the Council Tax – so in a rented home, the tenants would usually be liable for the bill, rather than the owner of the property. You can only be liable for paying Council Tax if you are aged 18 or above. You normally receive your Council Tax bill for the year in March or April, and the bill should tell you how the total has been worked out. The standard payment plan is ten instalments over the 12 month period, although exceptions can be made in the case of financial hardship. There are certain cases in which you may be able to receive a discount, for example if the property is empty or a second home, and full-time students, apprentices and those under 25 and in approved training schemes do not have to pay Council Tax at all. You can find out more about Council Tax by downloading the following document , featured on the DirectGov website.