Setting up a payment plan for outstanding Council Tax

If you have received any of the following letters from us, you can set up a payment plan for the outstanding amount:

• Final reminder
• Summons
• Liability order

You will need to tell us what you can afford to pay each month or week – this is your ‘payment proposal’.

What your proposal will need

• Details about the regular income, employment and/or benefits you receive
• Whether you live with a partner and their regular income, employment and/or benefits they receive
• How much you propose to pay and if this would be monthly or weekly
• The date you would like the arrangement to start from
• The payment method you would use

It may help to make a list of your income and outgoings, so you can work out how much you can afford to repay each week or month. Find out how to calculate your income and expenses.

When setting up a payment arrangement, remember

• The arrangements needs to be calculated so the outstanding balance is cleared by the end of the current tax year (i.e. by 31 March)
• If your request for an arrangement extends beyond 31 March, your arrangement will be reviewed by a specialist officer to review your circumstances
• If the officer determines that the arrangement cannot be extended, they will contact you to discuss your options and make alternative arrangements that are more suitable
• If you have a debt from a previous year, you can set a payment arrangement to pay this off, however you will have to continue to make the current year’s payment in addition to the previous year’s repayment
• If you have received a summons or liability order, court costs are automatically added to your outstanding balance and these will be included when you set up a new payment arrangement

How to submit an arrangement proposal

There are several ways to submit or discuss your arrangement with us:

Online

You can submit your proposal using our online form:

By phone:

Call 023 8083 3009 – lines are open:

• Monday 8.30am - 5pm
• Tuesday 8.30am - 5pm
• Wednesday 9am - 5pm
• Thursday 8.30am - 5pm
• Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm
• Closed Bank Holidays

What happens next?

We will contact you within twenty working days to confirm if we have agreed to your arrangement and provide details of the amounts you need to pay.

Remember: Should your proposal be accepted, you must maintain payment in accordance with the agreed instalments. Failure to do so will result in further recovery action being taken and further charges being applied.