Having trouble paying your Council Tax?
Council Tax Support (CTS)
The council operates a council tax support scheme which supports households of working age with low income, whether in work, unemployed or retired.
There is a maximum capital limit of £16,000, unless you are in receipt of the guarantee element of Pension Credit.
We are encouraging eligible residents to claim CTS as soon as possible, should the need arise. Claims for CTS must also be completed via your My Erewash account. We will be prioritising the processing of claims to get this support to our residents as soon as possible.
The council also has a Hardship Fund, for households in receipt of CTS that continue to have difficulty paying their Council Tax.
Awards are considered on a case by case basis. Claim forms for CTS and Hardship are available through your My Erewash account.
Text and Email Reminders
Each month we have to issue reminders to a number of residents who have not paid the latest instalment of their council tax. We would prefer not to send any reminder notices, so we are looking at other ways to contact residents effectively and to prevent further formal recovery action being required. We will be sending Short Message Service (SMS) text messages and/or an email to remind residents who may have missed an instalment.
This service can prevent statutory recovery documents being issued and may help you avoid paying expensive costs.
It is your responsibility to maintain the instalments due on your account in line with the bill issued and failure to do so may result in recovery action being taken.
Who sends the messages
The text messages are sent by us, Erewash Borough Council, and will show as 'ErewashBC'. The text message will contain a short URL using https://sms.erewash.gov.uk. This service is confidential, your mobile number will not be shared with third parties and you will not get any other marketing messages to your phone.
Emails are also sent by us. The sender domain name does not have an inbox, therefore you cannot reply to the message. This service is confidential, your email address will not be shared with third parties and you will not get any other marketing emails.
How it works
If we already have your mobile number and/or email address, you will be signed up for the service automatically. The Authority is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers and to this end may use the information you have provided for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.
How to spot a scam message
A message is a scam if it:
- asks for card or bank details
- says that you are entitled to a refund or band reduction
- offers to write-off council tax arrears for a fee
Further information on Council Tax scams can be found at Gov.uk
You will be required to verify that you are the intended recipient of the text or email, to ensure compliance with General Data Protection Regulations.
If you have any doubt about a message you have received you can get in touch using our contact form
Do not give out your personal details if you think that you may be at risk of identity fraud. If you are a victim of identify theft, it may have a direct impact on your personal finances and could also make it difficult for you to obtain loans, credit cards or a mortgage until the matter is resolved.
Example Of Email
Town Hall, Derby Rd, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 1HU
www.erewash.gov.uk
Council Tax account number: *****2012
Click here for full details including the address of the property. You will need to agree to our privacy notice to receive this information.
If you want to check if you are up to date with your Council Tax, you can manage your Council Tax account online. Sign up for a MyErewash account at www.erewash.gov.uk where you can submit requests, complete application forms and request help, advice and support from our staff.
If you personalise your Council Tax account by linking the Account Reference beginning with 2, you can view amounts due, download bills, complete forms and get answers to questions.
We also have a You Tube video that will assist customers with using their My Erewash account:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v43iAl3_rqE
To save time, go online to request a call back from one of our advisers if you need assistance and would prefer to speak to a member of staff.
You can also provide details of your household’s income and expenditure, to enable a payment plan to be set up for the Council Tax that is affordable and sustainable.
A Direct Debit may also be set up online. All we need is the bank name, account number and sort code you want to pay from, as well as the Council Tax Account Reference.
If you are in receipt of a low income, you may qualify for Council Tax Support and there are also other Hardship Awards that we can provide to help you pay your bills.
If you are having difficulty paying your bills, help and advice is available from:
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
www.stepchange.org
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en
www.nationaldebtline.org
www.capuk.org
More information is also available on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/council-tax-arrears and the Council Tax page of our website: www.erewash.gov.uk
Automated Telephone Payment Line (0115 907 2222)
Please ignore this message if you have made a payment in the last 72 hours.
Recovery Team
Erewash Borough Council
The opinions expressed in this e-mail are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Erewash Borough Council.
This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender and delete it from your system.
The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Erewash Borough Council accepts no liability for any loss or damage caused by the use of this e-mail or attachments. All communications sent to or from Erewash Borough Council may be subject to monitoring and recording. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000 the contents of this e-mail may be disclosed. Erewash Borough Council, Ilkeston Town Hall, Wharncliffe Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. DE7 5RP. www.erewash.gov.uk
Example Of Text Message
Dear *****,
You currently have an outstanding matter with Erewash Borough Council, Revenues Section in respect of unpaid Council Tax. For more details go to **********************
Please do not ignore this message.
Reminder Notice
If you do not pay an instalment when it falls due, we will send you a reminder notice. You must make sure you make the requested payment immediately. If we do not receive the payment within seven days of the date of the reminder, you will lose your right to pay by instalments and you will be required to pay the entire year's bill in full within a further seven days, or a summons will be issued.
Second Reminder
If, after receiving a reminder, you do pay off that instalment within seven days but you then fall into arrears on another instalment, you will be sent a Second Reminder Notice. This will be your final chance, as no further reminders will be issued. If you fail to pay the amount due within seven days, you will lose the right to pay by instalments and you will be required to pay the entire year's bill in full within a further seven days, or a summons will be issued.
Final Notice
If, after receiving two reminders and paying off the instalments as requested, you fall into arrears for a third time, a Final Notice will be issued, demanding the entire balance for the year to be paid in full. You have already lost your right to pay by instalments and if the entire year's balance is not paid within seven days, a summons will be issued, even if your statutory instalments have been brought up to date.
Summons
If you receive any of the above notices and fail to make the payment demanded, the Council will apply to the local Magistrates' Court for a Summons to be issued against you. The issue of a Summons will also result in you incurring additional costs, which will be added to your account when the Summons is issued and must be paid in addition to the outstanding balance of your Council Tax.
If you have any queries regarding the Summons, or wish to discuss a way to pay, please contact us immediately.
Liability Order
Failure to pay the balance demanded in full before the Court hearing date stated on the summons, will result in the Council making an application to the Court for a Liability Order. A Liability Order gives Erewash Borough Council the authority to take further enforcement action to recover the arrears. The types of action that are available are to instruct Enforcement Agents to collect the debt, to make deductions from income, to commence insolvency proceedings, to apply for a charge against a property, or to ask the Magistrates to summons you to appear before them to explain your failure to pay, which may result in imprisonment for up to 90 days.
After a Liability Order has been granted, a notice will be issued requiring you to supply financial information. You must complete and return it within 14 days. If you do not, the law states that it is an offence punishable by a fine. The Council will not make an arrangement without this information. Further time to pay the arrears can be agreed if it is an amount that you can afford and will clear the arrears over a realistic timescale.
Arrangements
If an arrangement is made and is adhered to, the Council will not take any further action, however, one of the conditions of an arrangement may be that a Liability Order has to be granted, to protect the Council's interest in the debt.
If a Liability Order has been granted, the law allows Erewash Borough Council to take various forms of further recovery action, including:
Taking Control of Goods
Enforcement Agents are employed to take control of goods for sale where appropriate. If Erewash Borough Council instructs the Enforcement Agents, substantial extra costs may be incurred. Fees are set by Government legislation and by contacting the Enforcement Agents early, it may be possible for you to minimise these charges.
The contact details for the Enforcement Agents are
-
Marston Recovery Call 0333 320 1822. 24-hour automated payment line 0333 320 1100.
-
Penham Excel Ltd Call 033 000 20705. 24-hour automated payment line 0844 30402700
- Empira Ltd Call 01925 984020. 24-hour automated payment line 01925 984108
Attachment of Earnings Orders
The Council can issue Orders instructing employers to make deductions directly from your pay. The deductions are calculated as a percentage of net income.
Attachment of Benefit
Applications can be made to the Department for Work and Pensions for deductions from Universal Credit, Income Support, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance or Pension Credits.
Insolvency
If a Liability Order has been granted, the Council can petition for your bankruptcy. The minimum amount that a Bankruptcy Order can be made for is £5,000. You will be served with a Statutory Demand giving you 21 days to clear the debt in full. If the debt is not cleared you could be made bankrupt. Being made bankrupt is a serious matter. It will inhibit your ability to obtain credit, you will have to give up any assets/possessions of value and your interest in your home and your personal finances will be handed to a trustee, who will administer your estate. You will be liable for the costs of obtaining and administering the Bankruptcy Order and these can amount to several thousand pounds.
Charging Order
If Liability Orders have been granted for over £1,000 and you have a legal interest in a property, the Council can apply for a Charging Order against the property. The Council can then apply for the property to be sold to pay the debt. If this action is taken, substantial extra costs will be incurred.
Committal to Prison
The Council can apply, where appropriate, for Committal to Prison for up to 90 days and this will result in extra costs. If you receive a summons for a Committal to Prison hearing you must attend the Magistrates' Court. If you do not attend, a Warrant will be issued for your arrest.
Further Information
If you are struggling with your finances, more information and advice is available on the Debt Advice page of our website and Help With Your Council Tax page.