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Council Tax

Council Tax is a local tax set by local councils to help pay for local services.

There will be one bill per dwelling (house, bungalow, flat, maisonette, mobile home or houseboat) whether it is owner-occupied or rented.

Who pays the Council Tax?

Owner-occupiers or resident tenants (including council tenants) usually have to pay the tax. In some special cases the owner, not the resident, has to pay the Council Tax, such as dwellings occupied by more than one household, where residents pay rent separately for different parts of the dwelling. If a property is empty, or it is no one’s main home, the owner is responsible for the bill.

How much will I have to pay?

Your Council Tax bill will be based on the relative value of your dwelling compared to others in the local area. There is a discount scheme where only one adult lives in a dwelling. The bill may also be reduced where people with disabilities live in a dwelling, and people on low income may be entitled to Council Tax benefit.

Details of how your Council Tax is worked out and spent may be found on our value for money page.

How do I pay?

There are a number of ways in which you can pay your Council Tax including Direct Debit, online, by phone, PayPoint, by post or by bankers standing order.

Online services

• View Council Tax Balance
• Pay Council Tax
• Report Benefit Fraud
• Moving in/out