Article: Council tax account enquiries Online interactions for this service Pay for this service Article Body Your council tax bill Council tax bills are issued in March each year for the financial year ahead, 1 April to 31 March. New and amended bills may also be issued in circumstances, where an account adjustment is required. If you have not received a bill please contact the council tax section, see our contact details below. For more information on how the council tax charge is calculated visit annual notification of council tax. You could, depending on eligibility, be entitled to discounts, exemption or council tax benefit to reduce the amount payable on your council tax bill. For more information on this visit council tax discount or council tax exemptions or new claims for council tax benefit. Moving into or vacating your property If you are moving into any property, including Berneslai Homes and private rented property, it is important that you notify us as soon as possible. We can take your property details and the date of your occupation and arrange for a bill to be issued. We will also answer any queries you may have. If you vacate a property please also notify us immediately. The council tax charge will be amended to the date of vacation and if you havent got a new bill to pay any overpayment can be refunded. To inform us of a change please download the council tax liability form and return to: Benefits, Taxation and Welfare Rights Division, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG. Alternatively you can contact the Council Tax office, see our contact details below, or visit one of the Barnsley Connects local offices. Methods of payment The council provides a number of methods for paying council tax. Direct Debit You can pay by direct debit. Direct debit is the easiest and most convenient way to pay council tax because your bank or building society will automatically deduct payments from your accounts. Payments can be made over twelve months on the 5th of each month from April to March. Alternatively payment can be made over ten months from April to January on either the 12th, 18th or 25th of the month. The direct debit scheme operates under the guarantee outlined on the direct debit application form. The Direct Debit Guarantee This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay direct debits. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your direct debit, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council will notify you ten working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request. If an error is made in the payment of your direct debit by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council or your bank or bBuilding Society you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council asks you to. You can cancel a direct debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us. You will remain in control of your payments, your direct debit can be cancelled at any time if you wish to pay by another method and you will get a full refund in the unlikely event of an error happening. It is your responsibility to ensure that your payments are maintained by your bank or building society. You can download a copy of our direct debit form or pick up a direct debit leaflet at your local Barnsley Connects office. Completed forms should be sent to: Benefits, Taxation and Welfare Rights Division, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG Alternatively you can contact the Council Tax office, see our contact details below, if you wish to set up payment over the phone. Debit Card You can pay by debit card using the internet by accessing our paying for a service page. You can also pay by debit card by telephoning the councils automated telephone payment (ATP) system on 01226 779397. This facility is available every day (other than between 6.30pm and 7pm daily). You will be asked to quote the account number shown on the front of your bill so please ensure that you have your bank details at hand when making payment. Payment by credit card is not accepted. Barnsley Connects Office Payment can be made by cash, cheque or debit card at Barnsley Connects Civic Service Centre, Eldon Street, Barnsley, S70 2JL. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Payments by post You can send your payment to the council by cheque. Cheques must be crossed and made payable to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and sent to: Executive Director of Finance & Property, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG. You must quote your account number and your name and address on the back of the cheque. Post-dated cheques will not be accepted. Bills must not be sent with postal payments and receipts will only be issued where payment is accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. You should allow at least five working days for your payment to reach us. Standing orders If you would like to pay direct from your bank or building society but do not want to pay by direct debit, you can make payments by standing order. To do so you must give instructions to your bank or building society of the payments to be made to Barnsley Council. Please contact the council tax helpline on 01226 774774 for further details on this method of payment. Failure to maintain payments It is important to ensure that payments are maintained as required because failure to do so may result in recovery proceedings being taken to enforce payment. The council is required by legislation to enforce council tax recovery proceedings where payments are not made and non-payers are subject to the procedures laid down in the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations. If you do not make payments in accordance with the instalment instruction set out on the bill the council will issue a 'reminder notice' specifying the amount required to bring payments up to date. If payments are not brought up to date within seven days, then after a further seven days the full amount outstanding on the bill will become due for payment. If you have made payments to bring your account up to date after receiving a reminder notice, but default from making the required payment again, the council will issue a further 'final notice' requesting payment. If payments are then not brought up to date within seven days the full amount will become due. Where payments are not brought up to date in accordance with the reminder, or the final notice, the council will request authority from the magistrates' court to issue a court summons for non-payment. Additional costs will be incurred and become payable if a summons is issued. Unless full payment is then made before the court hearing date, the council will make an application for a 'liability order' which will enable it to take further recovery proceedings in order to obtain payment. Additional costs for the granting of the liability order will also be added to the council tax account. A liability order enables the council to take further action to enforce payment by either making an order for an attachment of earnings order or requesting the Benefits Agency to make deductions from income support or jobseekers allowance benefits or employment and support allowance (currently at the rate of £3.55 per week). Where necessary, bailiffs action can also be taken to enforce to obtain payment. Please visit council tax arrears - dealing with the bailiff. The council may also consider the issue of committal to prison proceedings in the magistrates' court, if the bailiff is unable seize goods, issue a charging order on the property or is unable to commence bankruptcy proceedings. If you receive a notice for unpaid council tax, but cannot pay, please contact the council tax recovery office on 01226 774696 without delay. Costs incurred in the issue of recovery proceedings can be expensive. Receiving a summons will incur costs of £52 and the granting of liability will incur further costs of £26. Other stages of recovery action such as bailiff and committal proceedings will incur substantially more. Costs will be added to the balance of council tax payable. Viewing your council tax account online You can access details of your customer account online although this service is available to registered users only. Registration is simple and once registered you will be able to see your council tax balance and statements online. Contact details You can contact the council tax office to make enquiries and requests for application forms as follows: email: bentax@barnsley.gov.uk For normal enquiries: Telephone the council tax helpline: 01226 774774 Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4.30pm If you have received a notice about your arrears: Telephone the council tax recovery helpline: 01226 774696 Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4.30pm Fax: 01226 774733 By writing or sending documents to: Benefits, Taxation and Welfare Rights Division, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG To view your account click view your council tax account online if you already have a passnumber. Additional information To learn more about our compliments, comments and complaints process please see general complaints. Application forms The following council tax discount application forms are available electronically: Council tax - sole or main residence form Council tax - single person discount form Council tax discounts - patients in hospitals and homes application form Council tax discounts - aprentice or youth trainee application form Council tax discounts - students/student nurses application form Council tax discounts - care workers application form Council tax discounts - severe mental impairment application form Council tax discounts - persons in detention application form Council tax discounts - school and college leavers application form Council tax dscounts - disabled persons property relief application form Council tax dscounts - 65's and over leaflet and application form Council tax appeals You can, in certain circumstances, appeal against the banding allocated to your property and against decisions made by the council about whether you are liable and how much you are liable to pay. For more information or advice click council tax - appeals. Service standards Details of the councils service standards in relation to council tax can be obtained by clicking council tax service standards. Processing of information The proper processing of information is important to us. Click to view our Fair Processing Policy. Other useful websites Valuation Office Agency Department of Communities & Local Government Local Government Ombudsman Citizens Advice Bureau