Council Tax

Direct debit indemnity fraud

We have become aware of a potential fraud related to reclaiming direct debit payments. Residents may be contacted by, or be tempted to respond to, adverts from fraudsters offering help to reclaim Council Tax payments or other payments which are paid by direct debit.

As part of this fraud, the fraudster will ask you for your bank details. If provided, the fraudster will initiate direct debit indemnity claims for monies previously paid by direct debit. Once these claims are paid, the fraudster quickly transfers any funds from the victim’s bank account. As a result of the direct debit indemnity claims, victims are left with large Council Tax (or other) debts to repay to local authorities or other organisations, while the fraudsters have got away with substantial funds.

If you are approached by fraudsters or have been affected by any fraud, please contact Action Fraud online or by telephone on 0300 123 2040. 

Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 100 per cent discount for 2023-24

Extra Council Tax support has been given to thousands of low-income households in West Suffolk to help them with the challenges of the cost-of-living.

 

In December 2022, West Suffolk Council announced that following the backing of a public consultation, it would be increasing the maximum award of Council Tax reduction available to households from 91.5 percent to 100 percent. This is for the tax year 2023-24 only.

 

This has meant that 4700 households of working age in West Suffolk are now paying low or no Council Tax having received a further 8.5 percent reduction to their Council Tax. Pensioners in the scheme already receive a maximum reduction of 100 percent on their Council Tax.

 

Alongside the increase in Council Tax reduction agreed by West Suffolk, many households are also receiving extra help after the Government announced on 19 December £100m in funding to enable councils to provide additional Council Tax support to the most vulnerable households while ensuring that key services that people rely on, can continue to be delivered.


In West Suffolk, the total allocation under the Government’s Council Tax Support Fund scheme was £416,940.05.

 

As of 20 March 2023, £183,628 of this had been awarded as reductions on the Council Tax bills of 2508 West Suffolk households in the Local Council Tax Reduction scheme. This reduction of up to £80 per household, was awarded through the annual billing process. Since then, a further £9,439.61 of support has been applied to new applicants to the Local Council Tax Reduction scheme in West Suffolk.

 

The remaining money - £40,242.44 - will be used throughout the year in West Suffolk to provide support new applicants to the Local Council Tax Reduction scheme, and the households who are already in the scheme but who need additional support in the form of an Exceptional Hardship Payment.

 

For further details visit the Anglia Revenues Partnership website.

If you are experiencing difficulties making payment

Council Tax is managed by Anglia Revenues Partnership on behalf of West Suffolk Council.

If you are experiencing difficulty making payments please contact Anglia Revenues Partnership via: Anglia Revenues Partnership - Contact us.

Make a claim for Council Tax Reduction below if you are a resident of working age on a low income or your income has reduced and you have less than £10,000 in capital.

If you are already in receipt of Council Tax Reduction complete our Change of Circumstance form below to let us know about changes to your income.

For more information visit: Anglia Revenues Partnership – Council Tax

You can manage your Council Tax or update direct debit details online by visiting: Anglia Revenues Partnership - Online services.