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Council Tax and Parish Charges 2025/26

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2025/26 Council Tax and Parish Charges

  1. How much has my Council Tax bill gone up by?
  2. How is my Council Tax bill calculated?
  3. I think that my Council Tax band is wrong
  4. My bill contains incorrect information
  5. I pay by Direct Debit. Do I need to do anything?
  6. How much Council Tax Reduction have I been awarded?

Paying your Council Tax bill

  1. How can I pay for my Council Tax bill?
  2. I'd like to sign up for an online Council Tax account
  3. I'd like to spread the cost of my Council Tax payments
  4. I'd like to set up a Direct Debit
  5. I'd like to change the date of my existing Direct Debit

Get help and support with your bill

  1. Council Tax Reduction
  2. Discretionary Financial Assistance
  3. Exemptions and discounts
  4. I have received a Council Tax summons. Who can I contact?

Tell us about a change

  1. I have moved house, or am about to
  2. I have got married, and my name has changed
  3. I need to tell you about a change in circumstances
  4. I need to tell you about the death of a resident

Additional information

  1. Further guidance and information about the 2025/26 Charges
  2. Further guidance and information about the 2024/25 Charges
  3. Contact us

How much has my Council Tax bill gone up by?

The table below presents the Council Tax increase, as a percentage, that Mid Suffolk residents will pay in 2025/26 - compared to the amount paid in 2024/25.

The first column presents the authorities who each receive a portion of your Council Tax. (Your bill may also show an amount that you pay to your local town or parish council, if you have one.)

The middle column presents the increase, as a percentage, in the amount you will pay to each authority in 2025/26.

The final column presents what these increases will equate to, each week, for a Band B property in the district.

Name of authority % increase in 2024/25 Weekly increase for households who pay Council Tax on a Band B property
Mid Suffolk District Council 0% 0p
Suffolk County Council 4.99% £1.17
Police and Crime Commissioner 5.06% 25p

 

How is my Council Tax bill calculated?

The amount of Council Tax that you pay depends on two things:

  1. The Council Tax band your property is placed in. There are eight bands (A-H) and they are based on property value. The highest paying band is Band H
  2. The level of Council Tax set each year by your local council

Your Council Tax bill will provide a breakdown of who your money will be paid to. In Babergh, your payment is split between:

  • Suffolk County Council
  • Adult Social Care (Suffolk County Council)
  • Mid Suffolk District Council 
  • Your local town or parish council (if you have one)
  • Police & Crime Commissioner

We collect Council Tax and then pass on the relevant amounts to the other recipients.

Money raised from Council Tax is used to make up the difference between:

  • the money we receive from central government and
  • the money we need to deliver all the services that you need

I think that my Council Tax band is wrong

If you disagree with the Council Tax band your household falls under, you will need to contact the Valuation Office Agency ⧉ and appeal it. You can only make an appeal if you have been the property's Council Tax payer for less than six months.

Please note: Making an appeal - of any kind - does not mean that you can stop paying Council Tax.

If your appeal is successful, you will be refunded any Council Tax that you have overpaid.

My bill contains incorrect information

All Council Tax bills were produced based on information we had on our system at the end of Friday 28 February 2025.

If you contacted us on or around that date, your bill will still show the old information. We will issue you with a new bill, once we have dealt with your most recent correspondence.

If you think there has been a mistake regardless, you can:

I pay by Direct Debit. Do I need to do anything?

If you pay by Direct Debit, you do not need to do anything. Your arrangement will automatically carry over from one billing year to the next, and we will continue to collect instalments on the date you have chosen.

Please note: If you change address, please remember to ask us to transfer your Direct Debit to your new account. Please complete our Council Tax enquiry form online and let us know.

How much Council Tax Reduction have I been awarded?

The amount of Council Tax Reduction that you have been awarded is shown on the front of your bill.

If you receive paperless billing, you will need to sign in to your Council Tax account online.

If you believe that the amount awarded is wrong, you will need to contact us and tell us why you think it is wrong.

How can I pay for my Council Tax bill?

Pay by Direct Debit

The easiest way to pay your Council Tax bill is via Direct Debit.

You can choose to set your Direct Debit payments to come out of your account on the 1st, 8th, 14th, 22nd or 28th of each month.

Set up a Direct Debit

Pay online

You can pay your Council Tax bill online, with a debit or credit card. There are no surcharges for using this service.

When you pay, you will need your Council Tax Account Reference number to hand. This will be eight digits long and will start with the number '5'.

This number can be accessed via your Council Tax bill.

Pay Council Tax online

Other ways to pay

You can also pay Council Tax:

  • over the phone (via our 24-hour automated service). Access this service by calling 0300 123 4000 and selecting Option 1
  • by bank transfer or standing order
  • at a Post Office or Paypoint

For further information about these methods of paying, please access our Paying Council Tax in Mid Suffolk webpage.

I'd like to sign up for an online Council Tax account

You are able to manage your Council Tax online, by setting up an online account (called a ‘MyAccount’).

You will need your most recent Council Tax bill to hand. You will need to quote your Council Tax Account Reference number. This will be eight digits long and will start with the number '5'.

This number can be accessed via your Council Tax bill.

Every year, we produce guides to Council Tax bills (or eBills). These are mockup bills that customers can use to better understand the structure of their bill – and where to find different pieces of information.

You can access the guides at the bottom of this webpage.

Register for a MyAccount

Sign up for paperless billing

You need an online account to sign up for paperless billing (eBilling). Please visit our Sign up for eBilling webpage for more information.

I'd like to spread the cost of my Council Tax payments

You can pay your Council Tax bill once a year, in two half yearly instalments or in ten monthly instalments. Most people pay for their Council Tax in ten monthly instalments.

If you would like to split your Council Tax bill into twelve monthly instalments, please complete our Council Tax enquiry form online. You will need your Council Tax reference number to hand - this is eight digits long, and will begin with a '5'.

I'd like to set up a Direct Debit

You can choose to set up a Direct Debit to be taken out of your bank account on the 1st, 8th, 14th, 22nd or 28th of each month.

Set up a Direct Debit

Alternatively, please download a Direct Debit form for Council Tax if you are not able to use the online form.

I'd like to change the date of my existing Direct Debit

If you already pay by Direct Debit and you would like to change the date that your payment is taken on, please email council.tax@ipswich.gov.uk

Please include your name, address and Council Tax Account Reference number - which you can find on your bill.

Council Tax Reduction

We operate a Council Tax reduction (CTR) scheme. You may receive CTR if you are on a low income (even if you are working). CTR is not a payment, but a reduction to your bill total.

Whether you qualify for CTR – and how much reduction you may be awarded – will depend on:

  • the amount you are liable to pay
  • family circumstances
  • your income and savings
  • who else lives with you, and what their situation is
  • If you think you may qualify, you can use our online CTR calculator to find out. The calculator will ask you questions about things like whether you currently pay Council Tax, and whether you have savings.

If you qualify, you can submit a CTR claim online. The claim does not have to be made in one single session.

When you make a claim, we will let you know what evidence you will need to provide. Examples of evidence you might need to include are:

  • bank statements
  • proof of income
  • award letters

Discretionary Financial Assistance

Discretionary Financial Assistance (DFA) is a payment made to you by the Councils, that you can use to reduce your Council Tax bill. DFA is intended to help people who are experiencing a short-term, exceptional financial problem. These payments come from a limited fund every year and are almost always ‘one-off’ payments.

DFA can be paid to anyone who pays Council Tax – this is regardless of whether the customer receives Council Tax Reduction or any other type of exemption or discount.

We independently review every DFA request. We will look at things like:

  • your income and savings
  • any loans or debt you may have
  • whether you, or someone in your family, is ill or disabled

Apply for Discretionary Financial Assistance online

Exemptions and discounts

Generally, when an exemption applies – no Council Tax will need to be paid.

If an exemption doesn’t apply, you may qualify for a discount (or disregard). Qualifying for either would mean that you receive a reduction on your bill. Sometimes, exemptions and discounts can be backdated.

Exemptions can be split into two categories – people-based exemptions and property-based exemptions.

In some cases, people who have a disregard may qualify for an exemption. An example of this is where everyone who lives in a property is a full-time student.

Every situation is individual. The Councils will be able to tell you about any discounts, exemptions or other financial support that you may be entitled to.

For information about the reductions, exemptions, discounts and other support we can provide, please visit the Exemptions, discounts and premiums section of our website.

I have received a Council Tax summons. Who can I contact?

If you are having payment difficulties please complete our online Council Tax enquiry form so that we can get in touch with you to discuss your options. You will need your Council Tax Account Reference number to hand - you can find this on your bill.

If you have received a Council Tax Summons please find more information on our Council Tax Summons webpage.

If you cannot find the answer to your query, please call the Recovery Team on 01473 433955. Please listen to all the options, before you select one.

You can make a Council Tax payment online.

You can also call our Telephone Payments Line on 0300 123 4000 (Option 1). This is a 24 hour automated service. You will need your Council Tax Account Reference number to hand.

I have moved house, or am about to

If you have moved house – within the district, or out of it – you can tell us about this change online. You do not need an online account to do this.

Change your address online

When you access the link above, scroll down on the page to the heading ‘Tell us that you have moved home’.

Under ‘View change of address services’, you will be presented with the following options:

Option Select this option if...
I am moving within ___ District Council’s area You are moving house within the district you currently live in
I am moving out of ___ District Council’s area You are moving house outside of the district you currently live in
I am moving into / I am new to ___ District Council’s area You are moving to the district of Mid Suffolk for the first time (you can also select this option if you have previously lived within either district, but moved away)
I am moving to live with parents/family or friends where I will not be liable for Council Tax You are moving in with family or friends (or other) who live in Mid Suffolk, but you will not personally be liable for Council Tax
I am moving to live in a property where I only pay rent and have a tenancy or licence for the part of the property (a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO)) You are moving into a HMO where you will not personally be liable for Council Tax. An HMO is a house rented by at least three people - who are not from one ‘household’ - who share living areas (for example, the kitchen)

 

If you are moving house within the district and you currently receive Council Tax Reduction, you will also need to complete our online change in circumstances form.

I have got married, and my name has changed

Please email us a scanned copy of your marriage certificate to council.tax@ipswich.gov.uk

Please also include your previous name, your address, and your Council Tax Account Reference number - which you can find on your bill.

I need to tell you about a change in circumstances

If you need to report a change in circumstances which may affect any Council Tax Reduction you currently receive – you need to tell us straightaway.

Examples of things you need to report are:

  • if your income, or amount of savings, changes
  • if your rent changes
  • if someone moves in or out

You can let us know via our online form:

Report a change in circumstances online

You do not need to complete the form in one sitting. When you open the form, you will be provided with a form reference (a 12 character code that is made up of letters and numbers). If you wish to return to the form later, you will be able to access it via your form reference.

Once you have reported a relevant change - and your claim has been accepted and registered on the system, we will provide you with a seven digit claim reference number. This can take up to four weeks from original submission.

You might also need to provide evidence of your change in circumstances.

Examples of evidence you might need to provide are:

  • your latest pay or pension slips
  • letters from the Department for Work & Pensions

You can submit evidence online. When you submit evidence online, you will need to quote your seven digit claim reference number.

If we don’t learn of a change in circumstances within 21 days, we may impose a fine of £70.

For further information, please visit our Report a change webpage.

I need to tell you about the death of a resident

Once a death has been registered with Suffolk County Council, you will be able to use the government’s ‘Tell Us Once’ service. Once you have provided this service with the relevant information, it will notify:

  • the Department for Work & Pensions
  • HM Revenue & Customs
  • HM Passport Office
  • Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency
  • Veterans UK (if applicable)
  • the deceased’s local council

about the death. You will not need to do anything else or contact us directly – we will update our records (including Council Tax information) as appropriate.

The registrar who registers the death will tell you how to access Tell Us Once (they will also give you a unique reference number).

When you receive your unique reference number, you must use Tell Us Once within 28 days.

Visit our Register a death webpage for more information.

Read further information about the Tell Us Once service (from GOV.UK)

Further guidance and information about the 2025/26 changes

Further guidance and information about the 2024/25 changes

Contact us

If you would like to contact us, please phone 0300 1234000 (Option 2).

You can also email council.tax@ipswich.gov.uk