How Can I Get Help With Debt In Scotland?
Getting help with debt in Scotland The help available for those struggling with debt in…
How to Get Help With Council Tax Arrears?
Council tax is a local government tax. It’s set by individual councils and takes into account factors such as your home’s value, whether you have any unused bedrooms, and how much someone in the area with the same sized house would pay.
It also depends on what band your property falls into. The categories range from A to H with A meaning the highest amount of council tax will be paid and H meaning that person shouldn’t have to pay for council tax at all.
Table of contents:
Council Tax Bands
Properties in England are put into one of eight bands (A-H), depending on the price they would have sold for in April 1991.
The council tax band ranges of value are the following:
- A – Up to £40,000
- B – £40,000-£52,000
- C – £52,000-£68,000
- D – £68,000-£88,000
- E – £88,000-£120,000
- F – £120,000-£160,000
- G – £160,000-£320,000
- H – More than £320,000
Changes That May Affect Your Council Tax Band
Your property may be revalued and put in a different band in some circumstances, for example if:
- you demolish part of your property and do not rebuild it
- you alter your property to create 2 or more self-contained units. For example an annexe – each unit will have its own band
- there are significant changes to your local area, like a new road being built
- you split a single property into self-contained flats
- you convert flats into a single property
- the previous owner made changes to your property
- you start or stop working from home
- a similar property in your area has its Council Tax band changed
Unpaid Council Tax
If you’re worried about getting evicted because Council Tax hasn’t been paid, there may still be hope for you if you pay some of it off now.
If you are concerned about your council tax arrears it is worth getting in touch with the council to discuss this further.
The first step is to ring their customer services and explain your situation.
If you can’t afford to pay anything right now then they are able to set up a payment plan for you by direct debit which means you can repay them bit by bit without being charged interest or penalties.
In some cases they may also be able to take account of rent that has been paid along with Council Tax due as well as any benefits you have already received from other local authorities such as housing benefit.
There are even some cases where someone has had Council Tax deducted from their wages straight out of their paycheck!
How to Get Help With Arrears?
You might have got into Council Tax arrears because you’ve had changes in your financial circumstances (such as losing your job or having more children).
Or perhaps you weren’t aware of how much Council Tax you owed when you were originally asked for your payment.
Whatever the reason, if you feel qualified for an alternative method of paying off your bills, at Consumer Debt Help we can help!
Vulnerable people may be eligible for a Council Tax exemption or reduction on their property.
Examples of vulnerable household include:
- Children under 18 who live at home
- Elderly people living alone
- Households with disabled adults or disabled children
Council Tax Support
The ‘Council Tax Reduction Scheme’ is a great option if you are worried about missing payments. After all, it’s quite difficult to face the prospect of getting into further debt.
This scheme involves paying your tax in smaller amounts and over longer periods – so that you get some time to settle back into your finances.
If the council allows this, they will reduce the amount that has to be paid based on how much income there still is available in the household.
In England, there is a Council Tax Reduction Scheme which comes under the name ‘Council Tax Support’.
If you receive any of the above benefits (Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Income Support) then you may be entitled to Council Tax reduction or exemption.
So if you think that you qualify for this scheme and are in need of help on paying your debts off contact Consumer Debt Help today!
If you are experiencing a financial difficulty and struggling to pay your Council Tax, then you may be able to take advantage of the Council’s assistance.
They will help residents that fall into arrears by reducing their bill or postponing payments.
Many local authorities offer this service alongside other forms of help within the community such as debt advice from a specially trained advisor and information on how to budget effectively.
While most people pay their tax on time, every year there are many that struggle with high bills which lead them to receiving fines and letters from bailiffs due to the council taking legal action against them for non payment.
We Can Help With the Following Types of Debt
- Benefit Overpayments
- HMRC Debt
- Credit Card Debt
- Council Tax Arrears
- Loans & Overdrafts
- Catalogue & Store Cards
- Court Judgments
- Rent, Gas & Electricity Arrears
Designed for people struggling with their finances these solutions allow you to take back control. At Consumer Debt Help, our mission is to get you out of debt.
Visit our website at www.consumerdebthelp.info and complete our quick survey to see if we can help you become debt free. Stop struggling and take that step, you owe it to yourself!