Council Tax, what it pays for, how it is calculated, who pays it, how to appeal your Council Tax banding, previous years’ charges and how to contact the North Lincolnshire Council Tax team.
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Council Tax charges
Council Tax is tax charged on households by local authorities, based on the estimated value of a property and the number of people living in it. We also take into account any discounts or exemptions that apply because of the circumstances of the people living in the property, or because of the status of the property. It helps to meet the cost of the services we provide, as well as contributing towards the cost of fire brigade, police, environment and adult services.
Most households have to pay Council Tax. There is one bill per property, whether it is owned or rented.
See who is eligible to pay Council Tax on the Gov.uk website.
Council Tax charges, appeals and liability
Each dwelling falls into one of eight bands according to its open market value on 1 April 1991. These bands are decided by the Valuation Office. Your Council Tax bill shows which band applies to your property.
Your rate of Council Tax includes:
- The total value of taxable property (the tax base)
- The amount required to fund the service requirements of North Lincolnshire Council, Humberside Police and Humberside Fire Authority
- The amount required to fund town and parish councils [XLS, 19Kb]. Enquiries about town and parish council precepts should be addressed to the relevant clerk of the council concerned. Visit our town and parish councils webpage for clerks’ contact details.
Parishes setting a precept over £140,000:
The Environment Agency can request money from us for the services they provide in a financial year. This is known as a levy. These are included in your Council Tax charge but are not detailed separately on your Council Tax bill. The total Local Levy is £1,714,625 for 2020/2021.
Check your Council Tax band on Gov.uk.
View the list of Council Tax bands in England (based on 1 April 1991 values) on the Gov.uk website.
Read more about changes that may affect your Council Tax band on the Gov.uk website.
Council Tax per Parish 2021-2022 [XLS, 20Kb]
Bills are normally paid in ten monthly instalments between April and January, but if you would like to spread your payments over the full financial year (up to March) please contact the Council Tax team on counciltax@northlincs.gov.uk or call 0300 3030164 (option 5).
Depending on your payment method, there are up to four payment dates available:
For cash – instalments by the 1st day or the or the 15th day of each month.
For Direct Debit – instalments can be taken from your bank account on the 1st, 8th, 15th or 22nd day of the month.
Please visit our Paying your Council Tax page to see the available payment methods.
New payment arrangements are usually set up to be paid from the 1st of the month. To change your payment date, contact the Council Tax team.
If you wish to pay your bill in full please pay by the first instalment date. If you wish to pay half-yearly please ensure the first payment is made by the first instalment date and the second payment is made on or before 1 September.
Amounts due should be received on or before the instalment dates shown on your bill. Notices will be issued if payment is not received by the due date. If you miss your instalment dates, you may be asked to pay in full.
You can find out how much Council Tax you have left to pay this year by using our Self Service Portal.
Once you are registered and logged in, go to the ‘My Accounts’ section and confirm your Council Tax account details to view your balance.
You will need your Account Reference to use this service.
If you pay by cash and have lost your bill, please call 0300 3030164 (option 5) and request another copy.
You can apply to get money off your Council Tax bill if you are on a low income or claiming benefits. Visit the Council Tax support scheme page for more information.
If you require an explanation of your bill in a different format, please contact us.
Your Council Tax bill includes charges from the Police Commissioner, the Fire Authority and Parish and Town Councils, as well as for North Lincolnshire Council. It also includes a precept for Adult Social Care which can only be spent for that purpose. The information below shows the funding raised for each organisation and how much a Band D Council Tax payer will pay.
- North Lincolnshire Council £69.7m
- Band D cost £1404.94
- Adult Social Care Precept £8.2m
- Band D cost £164.51
- Police Precept £12.1m
- Band D cost £243.21
- Fire Precept £4.4m
- Band D cost £88.35
- Parish Precepts £1.7m
We normally charge Council Tax for empty properties. The aim is to bring empty properties back into use.
If your property has been empty and unfurnished for two years or more, you’ll be charged double the amount of Council Tax you would normally pay.
The additional charge will not be payable if the empty property is being marketed for sale or rent at a level which could reasonably be achieved. Proof will be required.
To appeal or challenge a banding decision you need to go the Valuation Office Agency website
If you consider that you are not liable to pay Council Tax because you are not the resident or owner, because your property is exempt, or if you think that the council has made a mistake in calculating your bill, you should make an appeal in writing to the council as soon as possible. You must continue to pay your bill until your case has been considered. If you do not, you may lose the right to pay by instalments.
- 2020-21 Council Tax band charges 2020-21 [PDF, 19Kb]
- 2019-20 Council Tax band charges [PDF, 241Kb]
- 2018-19 Council Tax band charges [PDF, 283Kb]
Contacting the Council Tax team
You can contact us Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm.
counciltax@northlincs.gov.uk
0300 3030164