You may be able to get your home moved to a lower Council Tax band if your home has decreased in value. Visit our Council Tax Support webpage to find out about eligibility and how to claim. Council Tax is compulsory and must be paid. If you're struggling to pay your Council Tax because of financial difficulties, then seek advice as soon as you can to get some help.
Councils may have a hardship fund available for people in financial difficulty. Contact your local council to find out what funds might be available, if any, and how to apply. Back to top. Postcode Please enter a valid postcode Submit. Ways to reduce Council Tax. How is Council Tax worked out? The person at the top, or nearest to the top, of the hierarchy is the liable person. Two people at the same point of the hierarchy will both be liable. You can check if you can pay less council tax.
The council can charge you an 'empty homes premium' if your home is empty and unfurnished for 2 years or more - you pay this on top of your council tax. It doesn't matter if you furnish or occupy the home for short periods in those years. The council will consider the home empty until you furnish and occupy it for more than 6 weeks in a row. If your property is already exempt from council tax, you won't be charged the empty homes premium.
You also won't be charged the premium if your property is:. Council tax bills should be sent out in April.
You have the right to ask to pay in 12 instalments instead. Local councils might accept weekly or fortnightly payments.
Some might also offer a reduction in the total bill if it is paid all at once, at the beginning of the year. You should read our advice about dealing with Council Tax arrears. You will need to provide evidence to prove that your council tax band is wrong - you can find out what evidence you need on GOV.
If the VOA agrees to review your band they will write to you, usually within 2 months, to let you know their decision. You can find out how to challenge your council tax band on GOV. Where a band is deleted and the structural alterations are completed, the property will then be banded as a new property, reflecting all extensions and improvements. The new band may be higher than the one which was deleted.
If you disagree with the VOA's decision on your challenge you can appeal to an independent valuation tribunal. You must write to your local authority with your complaint.
The local authority should send you a reply within 2 months. If they do not agree with you, you can appeal against their decision to the valuation tribunal. The valuation tribunal is an independent body. Usually 3 members will hear an appeal and a clerk advises on law and procedure. When they get your letter, the valuation tribunal will acknowledge it and send you information about the procedure.
If you find it hard to understand English, the valuation tribunal can provide an interpreter. They can also arrange to meet other needs if you are disabled - for example, if you have mobility problems or need special equipment.
For example, if the property is in band D, the council tax bill will be worked out as if it were in band C.
From 1 April , this reduction also applies to properties in band A. An application for this reduction must be made in writing to the local authority. Many local authorities will have a special application form. If you think that you may be entitled to a reduction because someone in the household is disabled you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.
To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give in the household is disabled, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example at a Citizens Advice Bureau. When working out how many people live in a property, some people are not counted.
These are called disregarded people. People are disregarded when they are If everyone who lives in the property is disregarded, there will still be a council tax bill, but there will be a 50 per cent discount.
If you are staying at the property but it is not your main residence, you also count as disregarded. If you are the only person living there and your main property is somewhere else, this property will count as your second home and special rules may reduce the discount allowed. A local authority may automatically send a council tax bill which includes a discount. The discount will be shown on the bill.
If you believe that you are entitled to a discount and your bill does not show that you have had one, you should apply to the local authority for a discount, as soon as possible. If the bill shows that the local authority has applied a discount and you do not think that you should have one, you must tell the local authority within 21 days.
If you do not do this the local authority may later impose a penalty. Local authorities can give a 50 per cent or a 25 per cent discount, or no discount at all on holiday homes or second homes. If you are liable to pay council tax, you may be entitled to a Council Tax Reduction. The amount of reduction you can get will depend on your income and capital.
Whether or not you qualify for a Council Tax Reduction, you can ask your local authority to make a discretionary reduction off the bill. You should set out your circumstances when you ask them to consider your request. If you are not happy with their decision about your request you can complain or appeal.
For more information about help with council tax, or how to appeal against a decision about Council Tax Reduction or discretionary reduction, see Help with your council tax — Council Tax Reduction.
The council can charge you an 'empty homes premium' if your home is empty and unfurnished for 1 year or more - you pay this on top of your council tax. If your property is already exempt from council tax, you won't be charged the empty homes premium. You also won't be charged the premium if your property is:. Council tax bills should be sent out in April. You have the right to pay by 10 instalments, you can also ask to pay by 12 instalments. Local authorities may accept weekly or fortnightly payments.
Some may also offer a reduction in the total bill if it is paid all at once, at the beginning of the year. If you do not pay an instalment of council tax within 28 days of the date it is due, and have been late with two instalments previously, you lose the right to pay by instalments and become liable to pay the full amount immediately.
In practice, most local authorities will still accept payments by instalments. When you have not paid an instalment of council tax within 28 days of the date it is due, the local authority may ask a magistrates court to issue a court summons for the arrears. If these are not paid by the date of the court summons, the local authority can ask the magistrates to issue a liability order.
If you are in arrears of council tax, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. Appeals can be made about a range of issues about the council tax. An appeal must be made to either the valuation office or the local authority depending on what it is about.
Usually, people who wish to appeal must have moved into the property for less than six months, or be in a new property which has recently been added to the valuation list. Special rules apply to appeals regarding the valuation band a property has been put in — see below.
There are special rules about when a liable person can appeal regarding the valuation band a property has been put in — see below. Different time limits have been set for appealing about a valuation banding of a domestic property in the valuation list and the valuation list.
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