Frequently asked questions about Council Tax

The table below presents the Council Tax increase, as a percentage, that Babergh residents will pay in 2024/25 - compared to the amount paid in 2023/24.

The first column presents the authorities who each receive a portion of your Council Tax. (Your bill may also show an amount that you pay to your local town or parish council, if you have one.)

The middle column presents the increase, as a percentage, in the amount you will pay to each authority in 2024/25.

The final column presents what these increases will equate to, each week, for a Band B property in the district.

Name of authority	% increase in 2024/25	Weekly increase for households who pay Council Tax on a Band B property
Babergh District Council	2.99%	8p
Suffolk County Council	4.99% (2% for Adult Social Care, 2.99% for general Council Tax)	£1.12
Police and Crime Commissioner	4.93%	19p

 

Suffolk County Council have published information about the Adult Social Care precept - which explains how the precept is calculated.

The Adult Social Care precept makes up part of your overall Council Tax bill. It is used to pay for the care of elderly residents, and other vulnerable adults.

The change in this precept will show as an increase of 2%.

This 2% is the increase in the precept, as a proportion of Suffolk County Council's total Council Tax charge for 2024/25. For a Band D property, the annual charge is £1,571.04.

The increase between this year's and last year's Adult Social Care precept is 15.88%. This means that for a Band D property, the increase is £29.93 (last year's amount was £188.53, this year's amount is £218.46).

The table below details the changes to Suffolk County Council's Adult Social Care precept - per Council Tax valuation band (A-H) - since it was introduced in 2016.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
2016/17 precept charge	£15	£17.50	£20	£22.50	£27.50	£32.50	£37.50	£45
2017/18 precept charge	£37.98	£44.31	£50.64	£56.97	£69.63	£82.29	£94.95	£113.94
2018/19 precept charge	£53.76	£62.72	£71.68	£80.64	£98.56	£116.48	£134.40	£161.28
2019/20 precept charge	£62.05	£72.39	£82.73	£93.07	£113.75	£134.43	£155.12	£186.14
2020/21 precept charge	£79.27	£92.49	£105.70	£118.91	£145.33	£171.76	£198.18	£237.82
2021/22 precept charge	£97.19	£113.38	£129.58	£145.78	£178.18	£210.57	£242.97	£291.56
2022/23 precept charge	£106.50	£124.25	£142	£159.75	£195.25	£230.75	£266.25	£319.50
2023/24 precept charge	£125.69	£146.63	£167.58	£188.53	£230.43	£272.32	£314.22	£377.06
2024/25 precept charge	£145.64	£169.91	£194.19	£218.46	£267.01	£315.55	£364.10	£436.92

The table below details the increase (in £) in the precept charge in 2024/25, per each Council Tax valuation band (A-H).

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
2024/25 increase	£19.95	£23.28	£26.61	£29.93	£36.58	£43.23	£49.88	£59.86

All Council Tax bills were produced based on information we had on our system at the end of Tuesday 20 February 2024.

If you contacted us on or around that date, your bill will still show the old information. We will issue you with a new bill, once we have dealt with your most recent correspondence.

If you think there has been a mistake regardless, you can:

• tell us about a change in address
• tell us about a change in circumstances
• contact us

If you are struggling to pay your bill, there is support available.

• You may qualify for Council Tax Reduction if you are on a low income
• You may qualify for Discretionary Financial Assistance if you are experiencing temporary financial hardship
• You can complete our Council Tax enquiry form online if you would like to discuss your options with us. You will need your Council Tax reference number to hand - this is eight digits long, and will begin with a '4'

You can pay your Council Tax bill once a year, in two half yearly instalments or in ten monthly instalments. Most people pay for their Council Tax in ten monthly instalments.

If you would like to split your Council Tax bill into twelve monthly instalments, please complete our Council Tax enquiry form online. You will need your Council Tax reference number to hand - this is eight digits long, and will begin with a '4'.

Pay by Direct Debit

The easiest way to pay your Council Tax bill is via Direct Debit.

You can choose to set your Direct Debit payments to come out of your account on the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd or 28th of each month.

Set up a Direct Debit

Pay online

You can pay your Council Tax bill online, with a debit or credit card. There are no surcharges for using this service.

When you pay, you will need your Council Tax reference number to hand. This will be eight digits long and will start with the number '4'.

The reference number can be accessed via your Council Tax bill.

Pay Council Tax online

Other ways to pay

You can also pay Council Tax:

• over the phone (via our 24-hour automated service). Access this service by calling 0300 123 4000 and selecting Option 1
• by bank transfer or standing order
• at a Post Office or Paypoint

For further information about these methods of paying, please access our Paying Council Tax in Babergh webpage.

If you pay by Direct Debit, you do not need to do anything. Your arrangement will automatically carry over from one billing year to the next, and we will continue to collect instalments on the date you have chosen.

Please note: If you change address, please remember to ask us to transfer your Direct Debit to your new account. Please complete our Council Tax enquiry form online and let us know.

The amount of Council Tax Reduction that you have been awarded is shown on the front of your bill.

If you receive paperless billing, you will need to sign in to your Council Tax account online.

If you believe that the amount awarded is wrong, you will need to contact us and tell us why you think it is wrong.

If you have moved - or are about to - please let us know.

You can let us know online. You do not need an online Council Tax account to do this.

For more information, please visit our Moving home webpage.

I have changed my name

There are two ways you can tell us about a name change.

You can sign in to your Council Tax account online and update your personal details there.

If you do not have an online account, you need to notify us of a name change by phoning us.

Phone 0300 1234000 and select Option 2 to speak with us about Council Tax, Housing Benefit or housing rents.

I need to tell you about a change which may affect a claim

If you need to report a change in circumstances which may affect any Council Tax Reduction you currently receive – you need to tell us straightaway.

Examples of things you need to report are:

• if your income, or amount of savings, changes
• if your rent changes
• if someone moves in or out

You can let us know via our online form:

Report a change in circumstances online

You do not need to complete the form in one sitting. When you open the form, you will be provided with a form reference (a 12 character code that is made up of letters and numbers). If you wish to return to the form later, you will be able to access it via your form reference.

If we don’t learn of a change in circumstances within 21 days, we may impose a fine of £70.

For further information, please visit our Report a change webpage.

I need to tell you about the death of a resident

Once a death has been registered with Suffolk County Council, you will be able to use the government’s ‘Tell Us Once’ service. Once you have provided this service with the relevant information, it will then notify us about the deceased.

You will not need to do anything else or contact us directly – we will update our records (including Council Tax information) as appropriate.

Visit our Register a death webpage for more information.

If you disagree with the Council Tax band your household falls under, you will need to contact the Valuation Office Agency and appeal it. You can only make an appeal if you have been the property's Council Tax payer for less than six months.

Please note: Making an appeal - of any kind - does not mean that you can stop paying Council Tax.

If your appeal is successful, you will be refunded any Council Tax that you have overpaid.