Council Tax
Introduction
Council Tax helps to pay for the services provided by London Borough of Bexley and the Greater London Authority. There is one bill for each home, whether it is a house, flat, bungalow, maisonette, mobile home or houseboat, and whether it is owned or rented. The bill may be reduced by entitlement to discounts or other reductions. Please read  Council Tax A Guide to your bill for further information.
Council Tax - Help Save Paper
Did you know that if all taxpayers received their Council Tax bills online
it would save 4.7 tonnes of paper? This is equivalent to 80 trees. Help save
paper by getting your Council Tax bill online. You can do this by either registering
online or
e-mailing your request
or by calling the Help Line on 0845 302 3200. If you wish to pay your Council
Tax online you can do so by clicking
here.
E-Citizen - view your Council Tax online
The 'E-Citizen' system is now available, allowing you to access your Council
Tax account and bills online, and check which Council Tax Band any address in
the borough is in. The system also allows access to NNDR (Business Rates) accounts
and Housing Benefit accounts.
Please note that the first time you access the site you will need to register and request a PIN to be sent to you by post, to protect your security, before you will be able to log in to see your Council Tax account and bills. You can access the E-Citizen system here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate the Council Tax?
The Council estimate how much is needed for Council Services for the year, ensuring that the level of expenditure is acceptable to Central Government. The Council then adds in the amount it is required to collect for the Greater London Authority and then deducts income received from Government grants and its share of the national business rates.
 Your
Council Tax 2008/09 (1.64MB, PDF file)
Council Tax Band database (Valuation Office Agency web site)
How do I pay my Council Tax?
By far the easiest and most cost effective way is by direct debit. You now
have the choice of paying by direct debit on any of the following dates: the
1st, 15th and 25th. You can set up a direct debit by either contacting the
helpline on 0845 302 3200, completing the form on the reverse
of your Council Tax bill, or you can download the Direct Debit Guarantee form
on the Council
Tax Forms page. Once completed and signed please return the form to London
Borough of Bexley, PO Box 367, Erith, DA8 1UA. You can choose to pay
monthly instalments or half yearly or in one annual payment. You will be informed
of any payment changes at least 10 working days before they are collected. You
stay in complete control and benefit from guaranteed safeguards. To find out
more about the benefits please visit the Direct
Debit for General public website.
You can also pay:
- Pay your Council Tax Online - payment can be made online using London Borough of Bexley's secure site. Please note that we only accept debit cards for Council Tax payments, not credit cards.
- Touch Tone Telephone Payment Service - Dial 020 8294 6789 and follow the instructions to make an automated payment using your touchtonetelephone. Payment can be made using your debit card. Please note, we do NOT accept credit card payments.
- By post to London Borough of Bexley, PO Box 367, Town Hall, Erith, Kent, DA8 1UA. Please make cheques payable to 'London Borough of Bexley' and either write your reference number on the reverse of your cheque or enclose a payment book slip with each payment.
- At a NatWest Bank - payment can be made by cash or cheque, free of charge at any Nat West bank within the borough. There are branches in Bexleyheath, Northumberland Heath and Sidcup.
- At a Bank or Building Society - a fee may be payable for this service. Please check before undertaking a transaction.
- By Telephone Banking - You must quote your Council Tax reference and the following Council bank details:
Sort code 51-70-14
DPSA no. 21101183
- Cash Office - Payment can be made by cash or cheque at Erith Town Hall between the hours of 8:45am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
- Post Office - Take the bill or payment book to the Post Office ensuring that you have allowed three days for the payment to reach the council's bank. PO Counters Ltd will make a standard payment charge for the transaction.
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Council Tax Levels for 2008/2009
These are the Council Tax valuation details for London Borough of Bexley for
the year 2008/2009.
Bexley's increase is 3% taken with the GLA increase of 2% produces an overall
increase of 2.8%.
The Council Tax figures for each Council Tax band are :
Band |
Valuation |
Council Tax |
A |
Up to and including £40,000 |
£932.91
|
B |
£40,001 - £52,000 |
£1088.39
|
C |
£52,001 - £68,000 |
£1243.88
|
D |
£68,001 - £88,000 |
£1399.36
|
E |
£88,001 - £120,000 |
£1710.33
|
F |
£120,001 - £160,000 |
£2021.30
|
G |
£160,001 - £320,000 |
£2332.27
|
H |
More than £320,000 |
£2798.72
|
The Council Tax you have to pay relates to the band into which the Valuation Office Agency (an executive agency of HM Revenue & Customs) has placed your property according to its value at 1st April 1991.
What should I do if I think my band is too high?
Contact the Valuation Office Agency, whose address is
The Listing Officer
Valuation Office Agency
Unicorn House
28 Elmfield Road
Bromley
Kent BR1 1LR
Tel: 020 8315 2800
Website: www.voa.gov.uk
They can advise you on how to proceed. Please read A Guide to Valuation Banding and Appeals for further information.
If you make an appeal, you still have to pay your Council Tax bill based on
the current band, until the appeal is decided. More information concerning Appeals
can be found at www.valuation-tribunals.gov.uk.
Please note the Valuation Office Agency Web Site has an online facility for examining a property band.
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Can I get a discount from my Council Tax?
The full Council Tax bill assumes that there are two adults living in a dwelling. If only one adult lives in a dwelling
(as their main home), the Council Tax bill will be reduced by 25%.
People in the following groups do not count towards the number of adults resident in a dwelling:
- Full-time students and their foreign spouses/dependants, student nurses, apprentices and Youth Training trainees.
- Patients resident in hospital.
- People who are being looked after in care homes.
- People who are severely mentally impaired.
- People staying in certain hostels or night shelters.
- 18 and 19 year olds who are at or have just left school.
- Certain carers.
- Members of visiting forces and certain international institutions and their dependants.
- Diplomats and their foreign spouses.
- Members of religious communities (monks and nuns)
- People in prison (except those in prison for non-payments of Council Tax or a fine)
Second Homes
These are furnished dwellings that are no one person's sole or main residence. Since the 1 April 2004 these properties have received a discount of 10%.
However, if people live in accommodation provided by their employer or are homeowners who have to leave property empty due to living in tied accommodation a 50% discount will apply.
Long Term Empty Properties
These are dwellings that are empty and unfurnished and have received the relevant period of exemption. Since the 1 April 2004 these properties have received a discount of 10%.
If your bill indicates that a discount has been allowed, you must inform us immediately of any change in your circumstances that may affect your entitlement to a discount. Please contact the helpline number on 0845 302 3200.
People with a disability
If you, or someone who lives with you, has a room, or an extra bathroom or kitchen, or extra space in your property to meet special needs arising from a disability, you may be entitled to a reduced Council Tax bill. The bill may be reduced to that of a property in the band immediately below the band show on the Valuation List. These reductions ensure that disabled people do not pay more tax on account of space needed because of a disability. If you think you qualify for a reduction on the above grounds or require any further assistance, please contact the Council Tax helpline on 0845 302 3200.
Council Tax Discretionary Relief
Background
Section 13a of the Local Government Finance Act allows a billing authority to reduce the Council Tax payable where national discounts and exemptions cannot be applied. It can be used for individual cases or the Council can determine classes of case in which liability is to be reduced.
Statement of objectives
The Council will consider using its powers to reduce Council Tax liability for any Council Tax payer or class of payer. The Council will treat all applications on their individual merits, however some or all of the following criteria should be met for each case:
- There must be evidence of financial hardship or personal circumstances that justifies a reduction in Council Tax liability
- The taxpayer must satisfy the Council that all reasonable steps have been taken to resolve their situation prior to application
- The customer has applied for Council Tax Benefit
- All other eligible discounts/reliefs have been awarded
- The taxpayer does not have access to other assets that could be used to pay Council tax
- The Council’s finances allow for a reduction to be made
- In the case of an unoccupied property it must not be the sole or main residence of a taxpayer
Claiming Discretionary Relief
- Requests for reductions in Council Tax liability will be required in writing from the taxpayer, their advocate/appointee or a recognised third party acting on their behalf
- The Council may request any reasonable evidence in support of an application
Review of decision
Under the Local Government Finance Act 1992, there is no right of appeal against the Council’s use of discretionary powers. However, the Council will accept a customer’s request for a further review of its decision. The Council will then consider whether the customer has provided any additional information against the required criteria that will justify a change to its decision.
Can I get an exemption?
Some dwellings are exempt, including those occupied only by:
- Diplomats or members of international headquarters organisations and their foreign spouses (as their main residence)
- Students school leavers or by certain spouses or dependants of students
- Severely mentally impaired people
Forces barracks and married quarters are also exempt; their occupants will contribute to the cost of local services through
a special arrangement.
Other dwellings which are also exempt include unoccupied properties which:
- Are unfurnished (exempt for up to six months)
- Are owned by a charity (exempt for up to six months)
- Are new dwellings or dwellings that require or are undergoing structural alteration or major repair (exempt for up to twelve months)
- Are left empty by someone who has gone into prison, or has moved to receive personal care in a hospital or a home or elsewhere.
- Are left empty by someone who has moved in order to provide personal care to another person
- Are left empty by students
- Are waiting for probate or letters or administration to be granted (and for up to six months after)
- Have been repossessed
- Are the responsibility of a bankrupt's trustee
- Are empty because their occupation is forbidden by law
- Are waiting to be occupied by a minister or religion
- Are an annex to another dwelling and difficult to let separately
- Consist of a pitch or a mooring which is not occupied by a caravan or boat
If you think you qualify for a reduction on the above grounds or require any further assistance, please contact the Council Tax helpline on 0845 302 3200.
Annexes
Any self-contained unit, such as an annex, which is occupied by a dependant relative of the family in the other part of the building, is an exempt dwelling. The occupier of the annex must be aged 65 years or more, or severely mentally impaired, or substantially and permanently disabled. If you think you qualify for an exemption on the above grounds or require any further information or assistance, please contact the Council Tax helpline on 0845 302 3200.
Council Tax Forms
Council Tax Discount and Exemption forms are now available to be downloaded, printed off and return to us by post or in person, please see the Council Tax form page for more information.
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What should I do if someone dies?
We understand that there are a lot of things to do when someone dies.
The earlier you contact us after someone dies, the sooner we can adjust their council tax account. We will need to know:
- the date the person died (please provide a copy of the death certificate);
- whether the person who died was a tenant or the owner of the property;
- the name and address of the executor or solicitors;
- the date furniture is removed from the property;
- the date probate is granted, if applied for;
- the date of any subsequent sale or transfer into the beneficiaries names, and the purchaser(s) details.
If you are the executor or administrator of the estate, and the deceased person’s property is unoccupied, you won't have to pay council tax whilst Probate or Letters of Administration are being sought, and thereafter for six months following the date of the grant. If the property remains unoccupied after this period a 90% charge will apply.
You can print a Property
Exemption (130KB, PDF file) form
and post it back to us.
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Council Tax Benefit
Council Tax Benefit is the name of the Government scheme for helping people with a low income meet the cost of their Council Tax. If you want to check whether you may be eligible for Council and/or Housing Benefit there is a quick web calculator available at the following address: www.entitledto.co.uk
If you are on income support, job seekers allowance, or on a low income with less than £16,000, in capital, you may be eligible for Council Tax Benefit.
This also applies to tenants living in rented accommodation.
Applications Forms are available from Erith
Town Hall, Erith and Civic Offices,
Bexleyheath or you can download an application form (1.9MB, PDF file).
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What Happens if I fail to Pay?
Reminder Notice
If you do not pay the amount requested on the due date a reminder notice will be sent. You must pay the amount on the reminder within 7 days. If you do not pay the amount on the reminder you will no longer have the right to pay by instalments and the full balance of the year's Council Tax will be payable. This balance must be paid within another 7 days otherwise proceedings will be initiated.
Summons
If you do not pay the required amounts the Council will apply to the local Magistrates Court for a summons with costs. If you pay the full amount, including costs, before the Court date the action will stop.
If the summons is not paid the Council will ask the Court to grant a liability order. If the Court is satisfied that the summons is payable and has not been paid it is required to make a liability order. The Court cannot refuse to grant a liability order even if you have outstanding applications for benefit, discount, exemption or the banding of your property is in dispute. The liability order will allow the Council to:
- make deductions directly from your earnings, Job Seekers Allowance or Income Support
- instruct a bailiff to collect the debt which may include removing and selling your possessions. You will also be liable to pay their fees
- commence proceedings to make you bankrupt
- apply for a charging order on your property. This will allow the Council to request to the court for the Council Tax to be paid from the sale of the property or from the proceeds of any future sale. This will result in you paying additional fees
The Court has no power to consider requests for payment arrangements. If you wish to discuss payment of the summons you should telephone the Council's Helpline on 0845 302 3200 on receipt of the summons. If an arrangement is agreed the Council will still apply for a liability order but no further action will be taken if the arrangement is kept to.
Once the Council has obtained a liability order and unless you have come to an agreed payment arrangement a notice will be sent to you of how much the liability is for. This notice will require you, by law, to provide details of your employment or benefit details.It is an offence not to provide these details.
If no arrangement has been made or it is not possible to collect the Council Tax debt from your earnings or benefit the debt will be passed to Bailiffs for collection.
Debts that the Bailiffs are unable to collect will be returned to the Council for application to the local Magistrates Court for commitment to prison. The court can commit debtors to prison for non-payment of Council Tax.
Further information on Council Tax and managing your finances can be found on the central government website Directgov.
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