Council Tax Arrears
Every April you will receive a council tax bill from your Local Authority for the coming year (from April to March). If you live in Manchester you will be asked to pay in ten monthly instalments. If you prefer to pay weekly or fortnightly you should contact the Manchester Council Tax Unit on:
Telephone: 0161 907 9400
email:
Fax: 0161 953 8226
You can also make an appointment to speak to someone at the Treasurer's Customer Counter on the ground floor of the Town Hall Extension, St Peter's Square, Manchester.
What to do about arrears
Arrears of council tax or poll tax should be treated as a priority debt because if you do not pay, your Local Authority can take you to court. The most common actions that could be taken against you include:
· Money being taken from your wages or Income Support, or
· Your goods being taken away by bailiffs to be sold, or
· You could be made bankrupt, particularly if you own your own home
· As a last resort, you can be sent to prison
If you owe money for more than one year then the Council can take more than one action against you. For example, it may take money from your wages to pay off one years account, and it may send another year's account to the bailiffs to deal with.
If you have fallen behind with your council tax payments, you should try to make an agreement with the Council Tax Office to pay what you can afford.
Work out how much money you have coming in and how much you need to live on. Use only the money that is left over to decide how much you can pay.
Remember, your offer needs to be realistic - be sure you can keep up with the payments without getting into debt with something else.
The Council Tax Office will usually want you to pay off your council tax arrears before you get the next bill. If you cannot afford this, tell them so.
If you are able to reach an agreement start paying the amount you have offered and keep paying it. This will go in your favour if you end up being taken to court. If you cannot agree a repayment rate with the Council get help from a Debt Adviser.
Can I reduce the bill?
There are several ways in which you may be able to pay less or even no Council Tax at all. Find out more about Council Tax reductions.
What happens if I don't pay?
The Council will go through three steps to try and make you pay what you owe:
Step One
The Council will get a Liability Order from the Magistrates Court. When you are contacted about the application for a Liability Order you will be sent a form asking for income and expenditure details. You should fill this in, as you can be fined by the court if you don't. Unless you make an arrangement and keep to it, the Council can:
Take money directly from your wages or Income Support and send a bailiff to your home.
Even at this stage, it is possible to make an arrangement to pay. If you do not make an arrangement, the bailiff may take away your possessions and sell them at auction to pay off your debt.
Important Information About Council Tax Bailiffs
- You do not have to let a bailiff into your home
- Bailiffs cannot break into your home to seize goods - unless they have visited you before about the same debt and you let them in
- They can legally come in through a door or window that you have left open
- Bailiffs can only force entry to your home when you refuse to let them in if they are recovering money owed to the state, like Income Tax or VAT
Find out more about bailiffs
Step Two
If the Council can't get any money using the powers described under Step One, or if you have not made an arrangement to pay what you owe, they can ask the Magistrates' Court to consider whether you should be sent to prison.
If the court is considering sending you to prison, you will be sent a legal document called a Summons. This will give you the details of the case and tell you the date and time when they case will be heard.
You must go to court. You should take a statement to the court that shows how much money you have coming in and how much goes out each week or month. The Magistrates will usually give you time to pay by allowing you to repay the debt over several months or even years. If you cannot pay, you can ask them to write off (or remit) your arrears - to cancel them. You can only be sent to prison if you can pay and won't pay or if you have not bothered to pay.
Step Three
If you agree in court to pay your council tax or poll tax, make every effort to stick to the arrangement you have made. If you cannot afford the amount set, go back to the Magistrates' Court and ask for the payments to be reduced. Do not just stop paying because the court will then issue a warrant for your arrest. If this happens, get advice from a Debt Adviser:
If you are sent to prison, the Council cannot use any other methods to make you pay the arrears.
Information on other websites
Manchester City Council
Council Tax rates
National Debtline
Bailiffs and Council Tax
Adviceguide from Citizens Advice
General information about Council Tax including dealing with arrears
Need more help? Live in Manchester? Send us an email
Information Provider:
Manchester Advice
Date Reviewed:
16 December 2008
This information is for guidance only and is not an authoritative statement on the law. Please read our Terms and Conditions.
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