Frequently Asked Council Tax Questions
We receive many questions about Council Tax. Whilst most Taxpayers enquiries are mainly about specific or personal circumstances, many questions about the Council Tax rules or service are common.
Below are some of the more frequently asked questions.
Q. How/Who do I contact if I have a query about my bill?
A. For details of the many ways in which you can contact the Council Tax Service are provided please visit contact us at Council Tax.
Q. I am moving home, what do you need to know?
A. To change your liability for Council Tax and to ensure we get your bill right, we need quite a lot of information about you and the properties involved. Our on-line change of address form will guide you through the information we need to help us to send you a correct bill.
Q. Why is my name shown on the bill?
A. The person placed first on the following list is normally liable to pay the Council Tax bill.
Owner and occupier: tenant and occupier: occupier: owner (usually when the property is empty).
People are jointly liable to pay if they are married, or are a couple living together as man and wife, or if they are joint owners or joint tenants. See who pays Council Tax for more information on how we decide who liable.
Q. Who do I contact if I have a query about how much Council Tax Benefit I have been allowed?
A. You can contact the Benefits Service by;
- telephoning the Helpline on 2736777 or by Fax on 2736356,
- by visiting First Point, at Howden House, 1 Union Street, Sheffield, S1 2SH,
- by letter to Sheffield City Council, PO Box 1310, Sheffield S1 1UY.
Q. What do I do if I think if the band my property is in is too high?
A. Your Council Tax bill is based on the value of your home, depending on its market value as at 1st April 1991, and has been put into one of eight valuation bands. Full details of these bands are shown in the Council Tax information leaflet issued with your first bill.
The Listing Officer at the Valuation Office Agency, Cathedral Court, Sheffield S1 1HD is responsible for assessing the Band your property is charged in. If you feel your band is too high you should contact his office by telephoning 289 4600, or writing to him at the above address. See what you pay for details on valuing your property.
Q. What should I do if I am dissatisfied with the way my account has been dealt with?
A. If you are unhappy about the way in which your account has been handled you may feel the need to complain. Before you do so, it may be worthwhile giving us a chance to put the matter right or provide you with more beneficial guidance or advice. See our guidance and on-line form in 'I wish to complain'.
Q. How can I pay my bill?
A. There are a number of ways to pay your bill, with Direct Debit being the most efficient method of payment. This method also offers the widest range of payment dates of the 1st, 7th, 15th 23rd and last date of the month. If you wish to pay your Council Tax by this method please contact the Council Tax office.
Alternative methods of payment are:
- pay by post,
- pay in person at Howden House
- pay in person at any Post Office
- pay by debit card
- pay online.
Q. How can I reduce the amount I have to pay?
A. Discounts
If you live on your own you may be entitled to a 25% reduction in your bill. You may also be entitled to a 10% discount if the property is your second home.
Other discounts may also apply where someone who lives with you is not included in your bill because they are for example a student, a care worker, or mentally impaired.
Disablement Relief
If either you or someone who lives with you has a disability, and your home has been adapted to meet their needs, you may qualify for a reduction in your Council Tax bill. For more information contact the Council Tax office. See disabled person relief, for more information
Council Tax Benefit
If you receive Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support or other benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions, or you are on a low income you may be entitled to benefit that reduces the amount of Council Tax you have to pay. See Housing and Council Tax Benefit for more information. Also see reducing your bill for information on Council Tax reductions.
Q. Can I get a reduction if I am unhappy about the level of services I receive?
A. The Council Tax you pay goes toward providing a wide range of services to all the City's residents rather than individual taxpayers. T he money collected from Council Tax payments only accounts for a small amount of the actual cost of providing these services.
No reductions can be made where individual taxpayers feel that they are not receiving a particular service, or a poor service from the City Council.
Q. What can I do if I can't pay my bill?
A. The usual method of payment of Council Tax is by ten monthly instalments, although arrangements can be made to make payments at different intervals by contacting the Council Tax office.
Where a bill has been issued, taxpayers must make their payments by the due dates shown on the bill. If you will have difficulty in paying the amounts shown you must contact the Council Tax office immediately. If payments are not received by these dates, action to recover overdue amounts may be taken. See If you don't pay on time for further information.
Q. What happens if I don't pay my bill?
A. If a payment is not received by the due date, we may send you a reminder notice that requires you to bring your instalments up to date. If you do this you can continue to pay by instalments but you must ensure we receive your payment by the due date.
Further non-payment may result in a final reminder notice being issued. This means that your right to pay instalments may be withdrawn, and the full amount outstanding will become payable immediately.
If you do not respond to these notices and do not pay the amount requested, or contact the Council Tax office to make alternative payment arrangements, you may become liable to receive a summons to appear at the Sheffield Magistrates Court. This will incur substantial costs.
Where payment of the amount shown on the summons plus costs is not made, or a payment arrangement agreed, further recovery action will be taken. This may result in the Council Tax that you owe being deducted from your earnings or from your Job Seekers Allowance or Income Support. There is also the possibility that we may use of bailiffs which could result in the removal of your possessions or ultimately your committal to prison. See further recovery action for more information.
Important: If you receive any notice from the City Council regarding the non-payment of Council Tax, do not ignore it! Doing this may mean that further action will be taken with additional costs being incurred.
What do I need to do if I move house or if my circumstances change that affects my entitlement to a reduction I have been allowed?
If you move house, the number of people who live with you changes, or your level of income changes, you must tell the Council Tax service immediately. If you are on Benefit, you must also inform the Benefits Service. This will allow us to amend your details quickly, so that your payments are revised as soon as possible after these changes. See If you don't pay on time for further information.
Please take a few moments to give us your feedback and rate this site.
How useful is this page?