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How to pay your Council Tax bill
You should usually get your Council Tax bill in March or April. It will normally be sent by post but some councils offer to send it by email if you give them an email address. Your council will normally offer a number of options for paying the bill.
Payment methods
Direct debit or standing order
You can use a direct debit to pay your instalments. You may also be able to pay by standing order.
To set up a direct debit you need to fill in a form known as a direct debit mandate before you want the payments to start and send it to your bank. You can phone or write to your council to ask for the right form. Some councils publish a direct debit mandate to fill in online or for you to download.
To set up a standing order you have to tell your bank how much to pay the council, on which dates, the bank details for the council and your Council Tax reference number (all this information will be on your bill). The bank does the rest.
You will need to renew your standing order each year as the amount of each instalment and the reference number will probably change. Direct debits will continue until you tell your bank to stop making the payments.
Online
If your council accepts online payments you can pay your bill 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You'll need to have your bill and your credit or debit card to hand. Your council uses a secure website for payments so that no-one else can see your details. Your council may also offer related online services, such as e-billing or the facility to check your Council Tax balance online.
The following links will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more. If the service you select isn't yet available the links will take you to your local authority's contact details page.
By post
If you want to pay by post, send your payment to the address shown on your bill. Your bill will tell you who you should make your cheque or postal order out to. You should write your full name, address and Council Tax reference number on the back of the cheque when you send it. Sending cash by post isn't a secure way to pay.
By phone
You may be able to pay by phone. Some councils have an interactive phone service that's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You'll need your bill and your credit or debit card with you to pay by phone. You use the numbers on your phone keypad to enter your payment details.
In person
Your council may accept payments in person. They will give you details of where you can go to pay your bill and the office opening hours. You'll need to take your bill with you to show how much you have to pay (and so that you can get a receipt).
Other ways
You can ask your council if there are other ways you can pay, using services like Paypoint or Quickcards for cash payments at newsagents, convenience stores and so on.
When to pay
Your Council Tax bill shows the amount of each instalment and the date when each one should be paid. Normally, you'll be offered 10 instalments, although that number will be lower if the bill is issued after the end of April.
The council may allow you to pay over a different period, but normally it'll only do so in exceptional circumstances, like hardship.
What if the amount you have to pay changes during the year?
If the amount of Council Tax you have to pay changes during the year, perhaps because your entitlement to a discount or benefit changes, or you move home, you'll get a new bill. This will tell you what the new amount for the year is and what instalments you now have to pay.
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