Council Tax
Council Tax helps pay for local services.
What is Council Tax?
Council Tax is a local taxation scheme which allows Local Authorities to raise income to help pay for the services it delivers.
What does Council Tax pay for?
Council Tax provides the major source of income for West Berkshire Council. The range of services that the local authority delivers to the community is broad and specialised. Some examples are:
- Education and Learning - adult and community learning, early years and childcare, schools and non-advanced education.
- Health and Social Care - services for children and young people and care services for the elderly and those with disability.
- Community and Living - community events, arts and leisure facilities and libraries.
- Transport and Streets - traffic calming, street naming and numbering, parking, road maintenance and cycle routes.
An amount collected with your Council Tax also pays for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police Authority and your town or parish council.
The services offered by the Council aim create a healthy, safe and satisfying place in which to live and work - so much more than getting your bins emptied!
You can find out more about how West Berkshire Council sets its budget from our web pages under Council and Democracy.
How much do I have to pay?
Council Tax is based on:
a) the property you live in (i.e. its banding based on the historic capital value of property at 1/4/91); and
b) how many adults occupy the property; and
c) the amount of income that the local authority needs to deliver its services once account is taken of grants and other income.
How do you work out who is liable to pay Council Tax?
An Act of Parliament tells us who should be treated as the liable person/s to pay Council Tax.
The Council Tax levels for 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 may be accessed through the downloads on the right of this page.
Most domestic properties will be subject to Council Tax. There will be one bill per property whether it is owned or rented.
See below for further information about Council Tax.
Council Tax is an annual charge, usually collected over 10 monthly instalments from April - January. If you become liable for Council Tax mid-year this may be adjusted to help you meet your liability, however your liability should be cleared within the financial year to which it relates.
The Council provides a cash office facility at our offices in Market Street, Newbury where you are able to pay any monies due to the Council. This includes Council Tax, Non Domestic Rates, Car Parking Excess Charges and sundry invoices.
Please let us know if you have moved house. Telephone our Customer Services Team on 01635 519520. Our phone lines are open 8:00am - 5:00 pm Monday - Thursday and 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Friday or email counciltax@westberks.gov.uk with the details listed below.
A full Council Tax bill assumes that there are at least two people aged 18 or over resident in the property.
If you are, or someone who lives with you is disabled, you may qualify for a reduction in the amount of Council Tax payable.
Council Tax benefit is a national welfare benefit which is paid by the Council to help meet the cost of your Council Tax. Anyone who pays Council Tax for their home can claim.
Housing Benefit is a national welfare benefit which is paid by the Council to help meet the cost of your rent. Anyone who pays rent for their home can claim. It does not matter whether your landlord is the Council, a housing association or a private company or individual. However, you cannot normally be awarded benefit if you live with a member of your family and are paying them rent.
The value of every property is estimated according to the market value had it been sold on 1 April 1991. If the value of your property increases or decreases due to general changes in the housing market this will not be a reason for changing your Council Tax band.
Some properties are exempt from Council Tax. Listed below are the exemption categories that might be applied. If you consider that your property falls into one of these categories and should be exempt, please contact us at the Council Tax Office or via our Contact Centre as detailed to the right of this page. Please note that exemption categories marked * may have a time expiry limit, following which a bill may be issued.
Single person discount applies to households where there is only one adult over the age of 18 resident in a property. This allows for a discount of 25% off the full Council Tax bill.
