Paying your Council
Tax
Here you can find information on
how to pay it - including online, exemptions and what to do in the
event of a change in circumstances. You can also check your balance
online.
1. Payment
You can pay your council tax in the following
ways:
Check your balance online here
Direct Debit
Direct Debit is an easy, convenient way to make sure your council
bills are paid on time without having to worry about a thing.
Direct Debits can be set up to be collected on 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd
or 28th of each month and you can pay over 10 or 12 months of the
financial year starting from each April.
Setting up a Direct Debit is simple - there are 3 different
options:
1. Telephone our Contact Centre on 020 8430 2000 to have your
direct debit set up over the phone.
2. You can use the Council Tax - direct debit request form to
set up a Direct Debit.
3. Complete the form included with the instalment slips or booklet
or alternatively the form attached to the reminder notice if one
has been sent to you.
Do It
Online
Visit our Do It Online
section to make a secure payment by credit or debit card using the
Internet.
Standing order
Please download the
Council Tax & Benefit Service standing order form (Word
doc.), complete it and send it to your
bank.
Credit/debit
card
Please telephone 020 8430 2000 and select Council Tax and Benefits.
Have your card and council tax account number ready.
Paying at your local
bank branch
You can make payments
at your local bank branch using your bank's payment slips. The
information you will need to provide is:
- our bank details
- your Council Tax reference number
- the amount to be paid
Payment card
You can use the card to make payments at any Post Office or shop
displaying the Paypoint or E-Pay sign. Paypoint or E-Pay will not
accept cheques, only cash. To obtain a payment card please complete
our Allpay Application Form (Council Tax Only)
or telephone the council on 020 8430 2000.
By post
Send your cheque to:
Cashiers Section
Newham Town Hall
East Ham
London
E6 2RP
Please make your cheque payable to London Borough of Newham and
write your account number, name and address on the back of the
cheque. Please do not send cash through the post.
2. Liability
The bill is addressed to the person(s) we believe is liable to pay.
If it is addressed to the "Council Tax Payer" you must contact us
on 020 8430 2000 and let us know the name(s) of the person(s)
responsible for paying.
Your Council Tax pays for hundreds of services that you use every
day, from having your bins emptied to educating your children. Each
year, we work out how much we need to run these services, as well
as our day-to-day running costs, for the next financial year. It is
this figure that helps to decide how much council tax you
pay.
3. Exemptions
If you own or rent an exempt property and an exemption code is
not shown on the bill, please telephone our Contact Centre on 020
8430 2000.
4. Not paying Council Tax
It is important that you pay each monthly instalment on or
before the due date. If you are unable to pay, for example due to
financial difficulties, please telephone the number shown on your
bill to discuss how the bill can be paid.
If you fail to pay by the due date you will be sent a reminder
notice, which gives you 7 days to bring the instalment up to date.
If payments are not received you will lose your right to pay by
instalments and a Magistrates Court Summons for the full amount due
will be issued.
The cost of the summons will be added to the account. Failure to
pay may result in our Bailiff's attending your property which will
result in additional fees being payable.
See our
'What happens if I don't pay my council tax?' page for more
information
5. Corrections & changes in circumstance
You must inform the Council Tax Section within 21 days if your
bill is incorrect or if your circumstances change, for example:
- If you move. Please use our
Council Tax - change of address form
- If you are no longer entitled to a discount - e.g. you're a
student who has finished their course of education
- If people move in or out of your property - and if this affects
your entitlement to a discount, benefit or liability to pay
- If you fail to inform us of any of these changes in
circumstance, you could face a penalty of £70.
For further
information you can: