Why is council tax so expensive

These often-confusing systems have been frequently criticised for being outdated. Those who are disregarded for council tax include student nurses, full-time students, those under the age of 25 in approved training and members of visiting forces. Our guide to reducing your council tax bill can give more information on this. These discounts are not applied automatically.

This is because measures to enforce payment can quickly escalate, with the most extreme cases ending up in court. To avoid this, anyone struggling to pay theirs should contact their local council as soon as possible. Managing costs, extra financial support, help with work or study. Paying and getting funding, ways to pay, problems with care.

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Help with meeting goals, tax-friendly saving, saving for children. Council Tax is an annual fee you pay to your local council. The cost is set by your council and goes towards funding local services. In Northern Ireland, you have to pay domestic rates instead of Council Tax. Find out more on the NI Direct website. Council Tax is an annual fee your local council charges you for the services it provides, like rubbish collection and libraries. Normally you pay it in 10 monthly instalments, followed by two months of not making any payments.

Our free and flexible Couch to Financial Fitness plan will help you build confidence to manage your money. Step by step we can help you cut your spending, develop core saving muscles, and create better habits for the future.

Find out about extra sources of income and support available to help you manage your household bills and save money in our guide What benefits you can claim and other ways to increase your income. Most councils allow you to choose to spread your Council Tax payments over 12 months instead of the usual ten. Just ask your council if they offer this option. Use our free Budget Planner. Up to , homes in England and Scotland are in the wrong Council Tax bands. Welsh homes were more recently evaluated and are less likely to be in the wrong band.

Source: MoneySavingExpert. They should take no longer than 12 weeks to resolve the problem. Falling behind — even by one monthly payment — can be quite serious when it comes to Council Tax. For instant money guidance based on your circumstances, get started with our Money Navigator tool.

The most important thing is to get in touch with your council as soon as you think you might miss a payment, as this increases the chance of them being able to work with you. Join our private Debt Support Community Facebook group to help give you new ideas to tackle debts and keep you motivated. Some councils will let you make the payment a little late, so you can carry on making future payments as scheduled. Others might be able to increase your future payments to make up for the missed payments.

It varies by council and individual cases. The final notice will tell you to pay all your Council Tax for the rest of the year within seven days. After this, your council can get your employer to pay your unpaid Council Tax directly from your wages.

For more information about stopping bailiffs at your door, go to the Citizens Advice website. MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Download app: WhatsApp. For help sorting out your debts or credit questions. For everything else please contact us via Webchat or telephone. Got a pension question? 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. The rest of the spending is provided by: government grants business rates fees, charges and other income Council Tax is the local taxpayer's contribution towards the cost of services provided. What council tax band is my property? Valuation bandings Most properties will be subject to council tax. Reporting changes of circumstances that may affect the award of a Council Tax exemption, discount, disregard or an award of Council Tax Support A change in circumstances that may affect the award of a Council Tax exemption, discount, disregard or the award of Council Tax Support should be reported to the Revenues and Benefits section within 21 days of the change occurring.

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