You should receive your council tax bill for the financial year in March or April, the cost is based upon the household and the property banding. A full council tax bill assumes that two adults are living in a property.
However, you may be entitled to a price reduction through council tax support if you live in a low-income household. The amount of council tax support you are eligible for is calculated through your household income and household size. For example, If there is only one adult living in the property, you may be eligible for a 25% reduction. For Wakefield residents, see here for a reduction application.
Council tax applies to everyone of working age, unless severely mentally impaired. It is a priority bill. A direct debit can be set up to make paying easier and payment plans can be arranged if you have accrued debt previously.
If you do not pay your Council Tax, the local authority will pursue the debt and you can be taken to court. One of the possible court outcomes is a deduction from your benefits, or attachment of earnings to your wages. This means money will be directly deducted from your income for council tax debt. Another outcome is the debt will be dealt with by an enforcement agency and you may have bailiffs contacting you for payment.
Ultimately, if you do not pay your Council Tax, you can be imprisoned.
If you find yourself struggling to afford the payments, check to see if you are eligible for any reductions or support. Alternatively, council tax bills are issued as 10 monthly payments but if requested you can spread the cost over 12 months.
For more information contact us or click here to access the Wakefield Council website.
