Trouble paying your bill
If you are having trouble paying your council tax bill on time
the most important thing to do is contact us. You can
email us, call us, write to us or come in to one of
the Worcestershire hub centres. Contact details and opening times
can be found on the Worcestershire hub
page.
If you don't make payments on time recovery action will be
taken. Please note that paying within the month will not always
avoid recovery, it is important to make payment on the date shown
on the bill.
- When one instalment is missed a reminder will be issued.
- If it is brought up to date by the deadline on the reminder and
the bill is kept up to date no further action will be taken.
- If the reminder is not brought up to date a summons will be
issued.
- If the reminder is brought up to date but further
instalments are missed or late a second reminder will be
issued.
- If that is brought up to date by the deadline on
the reminder and kept up to date no further action will
be taken.
- If the second reminder is not brought up to date a summons will
be issued.
- If the second reminder is brought up to date by the deadline on
the reminder but further instalments are missed or
late upon a final notice will be issued.
- The final notice allows just 7 days to pay the remaining
balance due for the year in full (it is not enough just to bring
the instalments up to date).
- If this is not paid in full within 7 days a summons will be
issued.
View a
flowchart of the process. (51K)
Any summons issued will be for the balance of the bill
outstanding and not just for missed instalments. The issue of
a summons will incur costs of £40.00 and this will be added to the
balance due. The summons is to the magistrates court where a
liability order will be granted for the balance due and a further
£25 costs will be added to the bill. Paperwork will be sent
out telling you what needs to be done at this stage.