Council Tax

Top Tasks: Pay your council tax online; Council tax and benefits online

This year the council tax and business rates leaflet 2013/14 will be available online. To view this leaflet please click on the link below.
The council tax and business rates leaflet 2013/14

You can also view the spending information for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service by clicking on the external links below.
www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/counciltax
www.hantsfire.gov.uk/council-tax-leaflet.htm

Council Tax Reduction Scheme
From April 2013 the national council tax benefit scheme is being replaced by a local council tax reduction scheme.
You can read about the scheme by visiting our council tax reduction scheme pages.

Changes to Council Tax Discounts and Exemptions from April 2013

As part of their strategy to bring unoccupied homes into use, the Government is making changes to council tax in respect of unoccupied properties and second homes. The exemptions currently given to certain types of unoccupied homes (Class A and Class C ) will be replaced with a discount.

The changes are as follows:

Discount and Exemptions - Details of changes

1. Council tax discount for 'Second homes'

The 10% council tax discount for 'second home' owners including 'buy to let' owners of furnished properties which are no one's main home will be removed. From 1st April 2013 owners of furnished properties which are no one's main home will no longer receive a discount on their council tax and will have to pay 100% of the council tax bill.

2. Council tax exemption for unoccupied and unfurnished properties (Class C)

The 100% council tax exemption for up to six months on unoccupied and unfurnished properties will be removed. From 1st April 2013 owners of unoccupied and unfurnished properties will receive a 100% discount for one month only.

3. Council tax exemption for unoccupied and unfurnished properties undergoing major structural alteration or repair (Class A)

The 100% council tax exemption for up to twelve months on unoccupied and unfurnished properties which are undergoing major structural alteration or repair will be removed. From 1st April 2013 owners of unoccupied and unfurnished properties which are undergoing major structural alteration or repair will receive a 50% council tax discount for twelve months.

4. Long term unoccupied property premium

This is a new power to encourage long term unoccupied properties back into use, by allowing an additional amount of council tax (a 'premium') to be paid when a property has been unoccupied and unfurnished for a continuous period of two years. From 1st April 2013 there will be a 50% premium added to the council tax, meaning that the owners of properties which have been unoccupied and unfurnished for a continuous period of two years, have to pay the whole council tax bill, plus an extra 50%.

e Billing - your bills online

e Billing your bills online Did you know that you can manage your council tax online by registering to use the self service facility?

View your council tax account and bill instantly, it's quicker and easier to do it online.

We now use e-billing which gives you the option to view your bill instead of receiving it by post. You will be notified each time a new bill is issued and you can directly view your billing information and payments.

There are lots of things you can do using the online self service facility. For example:

Check the amounts you need to pay
See the payments you have made
See how your bill has been calculated
View the bills that have been sent to you

To get started, register for the self service facility

If you need help, Please refer to our instructions on how to register.

Existing customers

Login to activate and view your account

Advantages of receiving your bill by email

1. How will I benefit from e-Billing

It's secure
It's faster: you can see your bill as soon as it's available
It helps us reduce our printing and postage costs (it costs a lot of money each year to print and send out bills)
It saves paper and so it is much better for the environment