A guide to Council Tax

The amount of Council Tax that you pay depends on two things:

1. The Council Tax band your property is placed in. There are eight bands (A-H) and they are based on property value. The highest paying band is Band H
2. The level of Council Tax set each year by your local council

Your Council Tax bill will provide a breakdown of who your money will be paid to. In Babergh, your payment is split between:

• Suffolk County Council (Including Adult Social Care)
• Babergh District Council 
• Your local town or parish council (if you have one)
• Police & Crime Commissioner

We collect Council Tax and then pass on the relevant amounts to the other recipients.

Money raised from Council Tax is used to make up the difference between:

• the money we receive from central government and
• the money we need to deliver all the services that you need

I think that my Council Tax band is wrong. What should I do?

If you disagree with the Council Tax band your property falls under, you will need to contact the Valuation Office Agency and appeal it. You can only make an appeal if you have been the property's Council Tax payer for less than six months.

Please note: Making an appeal - of any kind - does not mean that you can stop paying Council Tax.

If your appeal is successful, you will be refunded any Council Tax that you have overpaid.

Council Tax can be paid once a year, in two half yearly instalments or in ten monthly instalments. Most people pay for their Council Tax in ten monthly instalments.

If you would like to split your payments further, you are also able to pay for your Council Tax in twelve monthly instalments (April to March). To arrange this, please complete our Council Tax enquiry form online.

Pay by Direct Debit

The easiest way to pay Council Tax is via Direct Debit.

You can arrange to have payment collected from your account on the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd or 28th of each month.

Set up a Direct Debit

Change the date of a Direct Debit

If you already pay by Direct Debit - and you would like to change the date that your payment is taken on - you will need to contact us.

My Direct Debit wasn't taken

If two attempts have been made to take your Direct Debit payment – and both have failed – no further attempt will be made. If this has happened to you, you will need to set up your Direct Debit again.

Pay online

You can pay your Council Tax bill online, with a debit or credit card. There are no surcharges for using this service.

When you pay, you will need your Council Tax reference number to hand. This will be eight digits long and will start with the number '4'.

The reference number can be accessed via your Council Tax bill.

Pay Council Tax online

Every year, we produce guides to Council Tax bills (or eBills). These are mockup bills that customers can use to better understand the structure of their bill – and where to find different pieces of information.

You can access the guides via our Council Tax and Parish Charges webpage.

Other ways to pay

You can also pay Council Tax:

• over the phone (via our 24-hour automated service). Access this service by calling 0300 123 4000 and selecting Option 1
• by bank transfer or standing order
• at a Post Office or Paypoint

For further information about these methods of paying, please access our Paying Council Tax in Babergh webpage.

You are able to manage your Council Tax online, by setting up an online account (called a ‘MyAccount’).

You will need your most recent Council Tax bill to hand. You will need to quote your Council Tax account reference number. This will be eight digits long and will start with the number '4'.

The reference number can be accessed via your Council Tax bill.

Every year, we produce guides to Council Tax bills (or eBills). These are mockup bills that customers can use to better understand the structure of their bill – and where to find different pieces of information.

You can access the guides via our Council Tax and Parish Charges webpage.

Register for a MyAccount

Sign up for paperless billing

You need an online account to sign up for paperless billing (eBilling). Please visit our Sign up for eBilling webpage for more information.

There is a lot of support available to help people who may face difficulties in paying their Council Tax bill.

Council Tax Reduction

We operate a Council Tax reduction (CTR) scheme. You may receive CTR if you are on a low income (even if you are working). CTR is not a payment, but a reduction to your bill total.

Whether you qualify for CTR – and how much reduction you may be awarded – will depend on:

• the amount you are liable to pay
• family circumstances
• your income and savings
• who else lives with you, and what their situation is
• If you think you may qualify, you can use our online CTR calculator to find out. The calculator will ask you questions about things like whether you currently pay Council Tax, and whether you have savings.

If you qualify, you can submit a CTR claim online. The claim does not have to be made in one single session.

When you make a claim, we will let you know what evidence you will need to provide. Examples of evidence you might need to include are:

• bank statements
• proof of income
• award letters

Discretionary Financial Assistance

Discretionary Financial Assistance (DFA) is a payment made to you by the Councils, that you can use to reduce your Council Tax bill. DFA is intended to help people who are experiencing a short-term, exceptional financial problem. These payments come from a limited fund every year and are almost always ‘one-off’ payments.

DFA can be paid to anyone who pays Council Tax – this is regardless of whether the customer receives Council Tax Reduction or any other type of exemption or discount.

We independently review every DFA request. We will look at things like:

• your income and savings
• any loans or debt you may have
• whether you, or someone in your family, is ill or disabled
• Apply for DFA online

Exemptions and discounts

Generally, when an exemption applies – no Council Tax will need to be paid.

If an exemption doesn’t apply, you may qualify for a discount (or disregard). Qualifying for either would mean that you receive a reduction on your bill. Sometimes, exemptions and discounts can be backdated.

Exemptions can be split into two categories – people-based exemptions and property-based exemptions.

In some cases, people who have a disregard may qualify for an exemption. An example of this is where everyone who lives in a property is a full-time student.

Every situation is individual. The Councils will be able to tell you about any discounts, exemptions or other financial support that you may be entitled to.

For information about the reductions, exemptions, discounts and other support we can provide, please visit the Exemptions, discounts and premiums section of our website.

If you have moved house – within the district, or out of it – you can tell us about this change online. You do not need an online account to do this.

Change your address online

When you access the link above, scroll down on the page to the heading ‘Tell us that you have moved home’.

Under ‘View change of address services’, you will be presented with the following options:

If you are moving house within the district and you currently receive Council Tax Reduction, you will also need to complete our online change in circumstances form.

I have changed my name

Please visit Upload Council Tax Evidence page to upload evidence of your name change. This could include a deed poll document, marriage certificate, decree absolute or other relevant documentation.

When submitting the evidence form please enter your details as they appear on your latest Council Tax bill/notice. In the further information section please enter your new name in full, including your preferred title (e.g. Ms).

Please note: updating your name for Council Tax purposes will not update other service areas e.g. elections. If you have recently changed your name you will also need to update your name on the electoral register.
You will need to provide evidence of the name change, this can be done via email (elections@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk) 
 

I need to tell you about a change which may affect a claim

If you need to report a change in circumstances which may affect any Council Tax Reduction you currently receive – you need to tell us straightaway.

Examples of things you need to report are:

• if your income, or amount of savings, changes
• if your rent changes
• if someone moves in or out

You can let us know via our online form:

Report a change in circumstances online

You do not need to complete the form in one sitting. When you open the form, you will be provided with a form reference (a 12 character code that is made up of letters and numbers). If you wish to return to the form later, you will be able to access it via your form reference.

Once you have reported a relevant change - and your claim has been accepted and registered on the system, we will provide you with a seven digit claim reference number. This can take up to four weeks from original submission.

You might also need to provide evidence of your change in circumstances.

Examples of evidence you might need to provide are:

• your latest pay or pension slips
• letters from the Department for Work & Pensions

You can submit evidence online. When you submit evidence online, you will need to quote your seven digit claim reference number.

If we don’t learn of a change in circumstances within 21 days, we may impose a fine of £70.

For further information, please visit our Report a change webpage.

I need to tell you about the death of a resident

Once a death has been registered with Suffolk County Council, you will be able to use the government’s ‘Tell Us Once’ service. Once you have provided this service with the relevant information, it will notify:

• the Department for Work & Pensions
• HM Revenue & Customs
• HM Passport Office
• Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency
• Veterans UK (if applicable)
• the deceased’s local council

about the death. You will not need to do anything else or contact us directly – we will update our records (including Council Tax information) as appropriate.

The registrar who registers the death will tell you how to access Tell Us Once (they will also give you a unique reference number).

When you receive your unique reference number, you must use Tell Us Once within 28 days.

Visit our Register a death webpage for more information.

Read further information about the Tell Us Once service (from GOV.UK)

If you would like further help or assistance, please contact us.

Phone 0300 1234000 and:

• Select Option 2 to speak to a customer service advisor about queries regarding Council Tax, Housing Benefit or housing rents. Our phone lines are open from 8.45am-5pm, Monday to Friday. On Tuesdays, our phone lines are open from 10am-5pm
• Select Option 1 to pay Council Tax via our 24-hour automated service
• Select Option 9 to hear information about common Council Tax queries (for example, making payments, setting up a Direct Debit and applying for discounts and exemptions). This is a 24-hour automated service

You can also contact us online, via our online Contact Us form. You will be able to direct your message or query to our Council Tax team.

If you would like:

• help with your Council Tax bill 
• a copy of your bill
• to pay your Council Tax in 12 instalments
• to make an enquiry about a Council Tax reminder, summons or bill

you can complete our Council Tax enquiry form online.