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Online payments

About the payment process

The council’s secure online payment system is available 24 hours a day.

You’ll be taken to a secure website, where you’ll enter your credit or debit card details. To make sure the payment goes smoothly, the system checks your account details before completing your payment.

Reference number you will need to make your payment (this will change depending on what you are paying). For examples of some of these bills and invoices, with the relevant references circled, see the downloads section of this page.

You can pay the following council services online

Please note, these links may take you to a payment form on our old-style website. This will look a little different to this site, but it’s still an up to date and secure payment form.

Click here to pay your council tax – IMPORTANT: your reference number is the eight digit reference beginning with a 4 as displayed on your council tax bill

Click here to pay business rates – IMPORTANT: your reference number is the seven digit reference beginning with a 5 as displayed on your business rates bill

Click here to pay parking fines – IMPORTANT: your reference number is the ten character reference starting XS on your parking fine

Click here to pay for your planning application – IMPORTANT: your reference is the Planning Application Reference (e.g. P16/S1234/HH). 

Housing Benefits overpayments – IMPORTANT: your reference number is the eight digit reference beginning with a 7 as displayed on your housing benefit overpayment invoice

Temporary rents and hostel accommodation – IMPORTANT: your reference number is a twelve digit reference beginning with 999.

Fixed penalty notice – IMPORTANT: your reference number is the six digit reference beginning with a 6 that is displayed on the fixed penalty notice

All other invoices

Please note: The payments system is not compatible with older web browsers that use SSLv2 or lower encryption.  If your web browser is using SSLv2 or lower please upgrade your browser to a new version.

Alternatively you may wish to use your own bank’s internet or telephone banking system.  All payments should quote your invoice or account number and the following details:

  • Council Tax – Barclays Bank account number 43945340, Sort Code 20-01-25 and your council tax account number
  • Business rates – Barclays Bank account number 83891941, Sort Code 20-01-25 and your business rates account number
  • Other council invoices – Barclays Bank account number 03313646, Sort Code 20-01-25 and your invoice number.

You also need to quote the correct council reference (depending on what you are paying) detailed above.  If you are paying for more than one account or property, please make separate payments for each individual account/property.   Failure to quote the correct reference or to make separate payments for individual accounts could lead to delays in allocating the payment once it has been received and may result in recovery documents being issued.

Cash or cheques

Cash, cheque or postal order

Your Council Tax or Business Rates can be paid by cash, cheque or postal order free of charge at any branch of the Post Office.

PLEASE NOTE PAYMENTS MAY TAKE UP TO 7 DAYS TO REACH YOUR ACCOUNT IF PAYING AT THE POST OFFICE

Are you wasting time or money on any of the following?

  • Drawing money out of your bank or building society
  • Writing out cheques
  • Obtaining postal orders from the Post Office
  • Travelling to and queuing up at the bank or Post Office
  • Paying for envelopes and postage
  • Worrying about whether your payment has been received

If the answer to any of these is YES, have you thought about switching to direct debit?

Direct debit

How to switch your payment method to Direct Debit – the safe and easy way to pay

This is the easiest way to pay because your bank or building society does all the work and yet you remain in control.

By switching to Direct Debit now, you will save yourself considerable time and effort in the future. This will also help the council to reduce its costs, which helps to keep down your Council Tax.

How to switch to Direct Debit

  • Switch to direct debit online – please note, this link will take you to a payment form on our old-style website. It will look a little different to this site, but it’s still an up to date and secure payment form.
  • Or contact the Council Tax Section by calling 0345 302 2313 to set up a direct debit over the phone.
  • Or fill in and return the direct debit instruction attached to your Council Tax or business rates bill. 

You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing to your bank or building society. If you do this, please also send a copy of the letter to us.

Benefits of using Direct Debit

With Direct Debit you have no worries about carrying cash, writing cheques or sorting out paperwork and postage. You also won’t have to queue to pay, as your bank or building society will do all the work for you.

Taking the paperwork out of payment allows the council’s staff more time to give you individual attention. If a payment is not received, we will write and tell you instead of sending out reminders. If we need to adjust your payments, we will send you a bill well in advance. As well as being more convenient for you, a Direct Debit reduces the demand for valuable natural resources (by reducing the need to produce payment vouchers) and therefore benefits everyone.

Make the switch to Direct Debit and help us to help you.

The Direct Debit Guarantee

This Guarantee is given by all banks and building societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme. The efficiency and security of the scheme is monitored and protected by your own bank or building society.

If the amounts to be paid or the payment dates change, you will be told about this at least 14 days in advance.

In the unlikely event that an error is made either by the council or your bank or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund.