Having difficulty paying your Council Tax?
If you are having difficulty paying your Council Tax, you should let us know as soon as possible. The links of this page might help you identify any support that might be available to you.
We are sympathetic to circumstances of genuine hardship and we will work with you to put arrangements in place that will take your financial circumstances into account. Please remember that Council Tax is a priority debt and should be paid before other non-priority debts.
Contact us about your arrears
If you have arrears and want to discuss a payment plan with us, please provide details of your income and expenditure, and your proposed offer of payment.
Help for low income households
If you are on a low income, or receiving benefits, you may qualify for additional support, under the Local Council Tax reduction scheme.
Find out what happens if you don't pay
If you are unable to pay your Council Tax and are worried about what might happen, you can find out more about our recovery process.
Get independent debt advice
If you are worried about debt or struggling to manage your finances, it can be difficult to know where to turn for help. In addition to the Council, there are various independent agencies and charities offering free, independent and confidential advice who may be able to help.
Check if you should receive a discount or exemption
Did you know if you live on your own you might be able to get a discount of 25%. Full Council Tax is based on 2 adults living in a property.
If one of those adults or all adults in your home fall into a specific group of people, for example, students or carers, you may also get a discount. In some circumstances an exemption may apply, meaning no Council Tax is payable.
Other ways we can help you with your Council Tax bill
Do you find it difficult paying on the 1st of each month? We can change your payment date and how often you have to pay.
You can choose to pay on the 1st, 7th, 15th or 25th of each month. You can change your payment date online.
If these dates are not suitable you may still be able to agree a special payment arrangement where you can choose your own date for each payment and the frequency of your payments. These can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
Have you considered paying by Direct Debit?
Do you currently pay over 10 months?
Your Council Tax charge will remain the same but you will pay slightly less each month by spreading the cost over two extra months (when paying from April).
Are you struggling to pay your Council Tax because you also have arrears payments for previous years?
You may be able to renegotiate the terms of your arrangement on your arrears in order to keep your Council Tax for this year and future years up to date.
Keeping up to date with your current instalments can save you money, as you will avoid the addition of extra court costs and the worry of further recovery action.
Contact us now to discuss your payment options on 01302 734454.
If you can't pay, don`t wait until you get a reminder or a Summons. Contact us now.
Please be aware that certain arrangements will be subject to the addition of costs but this will be avoided where possible.
Council Tax staff are trained to deal with customers with financial difficulty and will treat you with courtesy and respect.
Discretionary reduction under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992
Apply for a discretionary reduction under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (if experiencing severe financial hardship)
If you are experiencing financial hardship, you can ask The Council to consider your circumstances in more detail. In some cases we may be able to reduce what you are asked to pay.
Applications for a reduction because of financial hardship are made under Section 13a discretionary discounts of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. This gives Local Councils the discretion to reduce Council Tax Liability in individual cases or for a group of people affected by a specific situation, such as severe flooding, or cases of severe financial hardship.
When considering any request under Section 13A, we ask that you provide:
1. A statement about current situation, including details of any factors affecting your ability to pay your Council Tax.
2. Evidence of any financial hardship being experienced, such as being at risk of losing your home.
3. A full breakdown of your income and expenditure (earnings/outgoings).
4. Evidence of other priority debts or hardship.
How to apply
If you wish to request a discretionary reduction on the grounds of financial hardship, please apply in writing providing the above information, to Revenues, City of Doncaster Council, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU, or by submitting a Council Tax enquiry form, and providing details of your income and expenditure.
Please be aware that a reduction may only be awarded if financial hardship is shown, and granting a reduction would be in the interests of other Council Tax payers.
Not found what you are looking for?
- Go back to the Council Tax homepage
- Contact us using our online Council Tax enquiry form
Downloads & Resources
- Attachment of Earnings Order - Employer Regulations
- Download (244KB - PDF)
Run this page through the AI Enrichment process?: No
Display your introduction over featured image?: No