Council Tax

Council Tax and Business Rates -

Please be advised that from Monday 28 July 2025, the Council Tax counter service will only be available between 10:00 -15:00, Monday to Friday.

If you require assistance or would like to speak to a Council Tax advisor outside of the above hours, please call the Council Tax team on 01302 734454. Our phone lines are open 8:30 – 17:00 Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Alternatively, you can tell us about  a move, apply for discounts, report a change in tenant, view your account, check your balance, change payment dates, set up Direct Debits, or submit enquiries online. Simply go to Manage my account online.

If you do attend the Council's Civic Office and public counter area, a number of public computers are available for you to use. If you require assistance using these devices, a member of the customer services team will be happy to help you.

Council Tax and Housing Benefit team -

Please be advised that from Monday 28 July 2025 the Benefits team’s counter service will no longer be available.

This means that you will no longer be able to speak with a Benefits advisor at the public counter.  A Customer Services advisor may be able to help you, and you can also still hand information in to a Customer Services advisor.

If you need to speak to a Benefits advisor after this date, please call the Benefits team on 01302 735336. Our phone lines are open 8:30 – 17:00 Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Alternatively, several public computers are also available for your use at the Civic Office, such as to a submit new application. If you require assistance using these devices, a member of the customer services team will be happy to help you.

We thank you for your co-operation and understanding. The Revenues & Benefits Team

New unoccupied but substantially furnished property premium effective from 1 April 2025

Under Section 80 of The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, the Government introduced changes to Council Tax legislation allowing Billing Authorities to apply a premium of up to 100% (up to a 200% Council Tax charge in total) to properties, where:

1. there is no resident of the dwelling, and
2. the dwelling is substantially furnished.

As well as including unoccupied properties that are substantially furnished, this also includes properties which are often referred to as second homes, where a property is furnished, but is not a person’s main residence and is only occupied periodically.

Using discretionary powers granted under Section 11C & 11D of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 a decision was made by full Council on 26 February 2024 to apply the new premium in accordance with the new legislation. 

This premium came into effect on 1 April 2025.

Exceptions to the existing long-term empty and the new unoccupied but substantially furnished premiums, introduced from 1 April 2025.

From 1 April 2025, the Government introduced additional legislation setting out circumstances where a long term empty, or unoccupied but substantially furnished premium should not apply.

These exceptions only exclude dwellings from premiums being applied, and do not affect the standard rate of Council Tax that may be chargeable on the property. 

For more information about the above please visit our Council Tax empty property discount and premiums page.