Your Council Tax Guide

What You Need to Know

About your bill

The amount you pay in Council Tax is based on the band in which your property is classified.

Paying your bill

You can pay your Council Tax a number of ways, including:

  • One lump sum (in April)
  • In two payments (the first in April and the second in September)
  • Or, in weekly/fortnightly/monthly instalments. If you are paying monthly, you have the choice of spreading your payments over 10 or 12 months for instalment plans that start in April. You can pay on the 6th, 13th, 20th or 27th of the month. However, if you wish to pay by 12 monthly instalments you must request this no later than the 9th April

If you have any outstanding balance from the previous year, the law does not allow us to include this within the instalments due for your new bill from April. Any outstanding balance should be paid straight away, or a payment arrangement made by contacting us.

You still need to pay your Council Tax bill even if there are council-provided services that you don’t use. If you do not pay your bill, the Council can take action to recover the money that is owed.

Moving house and empty properties

If you move house at any point during the year, then you should inform the Council as soon as possible. You may be able to get a refund on the Council Tax that you have already paid, or have it transferred to the bill for your new property if you are moving within the borough.

Council Tax is still payable on an empty property:

If a property has been empty and unfurnished for two years, an additional 100 per cent premium is payable.

If a property has been empty and unfurnished for five years, an additional 200 per cent premium is payable.

If a property has been empty and unfurnished for ten years, an additional 300 per cent premium is payable.

Legislation to allow Councils further discretion regarding the premiums is contained within The Levelling up and Regeneration bill. The act received Royal Assent in October 2023 and the Council is awaiting the regulations and guidance regarding any exclusions to premiums which are still being drafted.

The changes would mean that:

  • The 100% premium could become effective for properties that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for over 1 year
  • Second homes would become eligible for premiums. This does not include those second homes which currently receive a 50% job related discount

Consultation was undertaken by the Government and included several proposed circumstances for which the empty homes and second homes premiums would not be applied.

As full details of the changes are not yet available for 2024/25, Rotherham will continue to apply the empty homes premium as now when a property has been unoccupied and unfurnished for two years. Rotherham will implement the second homes premium from 2025/26 although a further decision may be made once full details of the legislation and guidance are known.

In accordance with S11B(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Rotherham Council will not apply the long-term empty premium to any class of dwelling prescribed by the Secretary of State as not subject to it.

We are required by law to send a bill, even if the amount owed is zero.

Contacting the Council

If you have questions about your bill or need to update your details, visit the Council website at: www.rotherham.gov.uk/counciltax You can access the Council website for free at your local library or neighbourhood hub.