Q. When were lower council tax bills issued for properties in South Holland?
A. We issued revised bills in mid August, in plenty of time for instalments due on 1 September.
The house of Commons Approved the capping order on 9 July 2008 and the Police Authority reduced its share of the council tax on 25 July 2008. South Holland was the first council in Lincolnshire to set a substitute council tax on 29 July 2008. We recalculated everyone's council tax on 9 August and sent out new bills on 14 August.
Q. Were the council tax bills issued prior to the Police Authority being capped, legal?
A. Yes.
Those bills remained valid until the replacement ones were issued and we had to continue to collect direct debits and send reminders based on them.
Q. How much have bills gone down by?
A. It depends on which band your property is in, and whether you receive any savings on your bill. You can check:
The reduction for two adults occupying a property in band D is £69.57. However the average property band in our area is band B - which for two adults is a reduction of around £54 (just over £1 a week or £5 a month on a 10-month instalment plan). The average reduction for the year for properties in South Holland is actually £44.68, because many households receive discounts, exemptions or benefit. There is more information about Council Tax Benefit in the next question.
Q. I get council tax benefit because I'm on a low income - why didn't I get a reduction?
A. As you have been getting council tax benefit since at least 1 April 2008, you don't get any reduction.
This applies to about 1 of every 6 households in our area. The reason is because benefit has to go down by the same amount of any reduction in the council tax charge. We still have to send you a new bill and new benefit decision letters even though the balance to pay may not have changed. You should check these benefit decision letters very carefully and let us know straight away if anything on them is out of date - such as your income and savings amounts or changes to the people living with you.
Q. How does substitute billing affect direct debit payers?
A. If you pay your council tax by direct debit, you do not need to do anything.
We collected the instalment that was due on 1 August as normal, and will automatically adjust the amount from 1 September onwards as shown on your substitute bill.
Q. What if I pay by another method?
A. As long as your account was up to date on 9 August when we calculated the new charge, there's no need to do anything - just continue paying the new instalments shown on your bill.
However if we did not receive your payment for the instalment due on 1 August by 9 August, it will not be taken into account on your substitute bill and your instalments are likely to have gone up instead of down. Please remember that instalments are due on or before 1st of each month.
Q. Why have the instalments on my substitute bill gone up when the charge has gone down?
A. Only payments received by us before 9 August were taken into account on the substitute bills.
Any arrears on your account (except those subject to court proceedings or for a previous financial year) or payments for the instalment due on 1 August not received by us on 9 August, have been added on to your instalments from 1 September. If your payment crossed in the post with the substitute bill, you can deduct the amount paid from your September instalment. If you would prefer us to recalculate your instalments or need any advice about this, please contact our Customer Services Team .
Q. I received a summons for this year's council tax before the Police were capped - will I get the reduction?
A. Yes - everyone's council tax for the year has gone down.
If you have made a payment arrangement with us or our bailiffs, you should continue paying as agreed until the amount due is paid in full. Where we have arranged to deduct council tax from your earnings or benefit, we have notified your employer or The Department for Works and Pensions of the new amount.
Q. Why did I get a substitute bill - I don't pay anything because my property is exempt?
A. The law requires us to issue substitute bills.
This applies even if there is nothing to pay. This is why the message on your bill says 'For Information Only'.
Q. I have paid in full for this year - do I need to do anything now?
A. No.
We have sent you a credit bill and you can choose to carry it forward to reduce next year's council tax, or apply for it to be refunded direct to your bank account.
Q. Does the substitute Council Tax affect Business Rate payers?
A. No.
Council Tax amounts have no impact on Business Rate amounts which are set nationally each year by Central Government. Therefore, Business Rate payers will only be affected if they also happen to be Council Tax Payers in Lincolnshire.
