Most councils normally split your annual bill into ten months, from April to January, meaning you shouldn’t have to pay anything in February or March
Seek help for your council tax bill if you’re struggling to pay (Image: Getty Images)
Millions won’t need to pay council tax for the next two months due to the way this bill is spread out over the year.
Most councils normally split your annual bill into ten months, from April to January, meaning you shouldn’t have to pay anything in February or March. If you struggle to pay your council tax bill, it is possible to ask your local authority to spread the repayments over 12 months.
So, if your annual bill is £2,000, then you will pay £200 each month over ten months with two months off, or £166 a month over 12 months with no break. Council tax is considered a priority bill. If you miss one of your monthly payments, your council should send you a reminder notice giving you seven days to pay it.
If you don’t pay, your council can ask you to pay the cost for the whole year upfront. If you continue to ignore missed payments, your council can apply to the courts for permission to collect the debt, or send bailiffs to your home to take items that they will sell to reclaim the debt.
In extreme cases, you could go to prison for up to three months for not paying your council tax bill if a court decides you are deliberately choosing not to pay. If you cannot afford your repayments, speak to your council as soon as possible to see what options you have – especially if you are considered vulnerable or if paying your council tax means you’re falling behind on your rent or mortgage.
Council tax bills will rise again on April 1 in what will be another blow for stretched households. Local authorities in England are allowed to increase bills by up to 5% – if they want to introduce larger rises, they have to hold a referendum.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has proposed a 25% council tax hike from this April after warning it could go bankrupt. No final decision has been confirmed yet. The average council tax bill for a band D property in England for 2024/25 was £2,171.
How to cut your council tax bill Speak to your council to check if you’re eligible for some sort of discount. For example, if you’re living alone, you get 25% off your council tax bill. The same goes if there is one adult living with someone else who is “disregarded” – this can include full-time students, children under the age of 18, adults who are considered “severely mentally impaired” and live-in carers.
You can see a list of everyone who is “disregarded” from paying council tax on GOV.UK. You could get 50% off if everyone in your home is “disregarded” from paying council tax. The maximum 100% discount is awarded to someone who has a severe mental impairment and lives alone, or if you live in an all-student household.
If you claim benefits or you’re on a low income, see if your local authority runs a Council Tax Support or Council Tax Reduction scheme. In some cases, you could be entitled to 100% off your bill. Each council runs their version own scheme, so the discounts available and the eligibility criteria does vary depending on where you live.
Finally, see if you can challenge your council tax band. Hundreds of thousands of homes are in the wrong council tax band – so if you’re in too high of a band, you may be due thousands of pounds back, plus lower bills going forward. But do your research first, as if you’re in too low of a council tax band, your future bills will go up.