WARRINGTON South MP David Mowat has welcomed government moves to help households bring down their monthly bills by spreading council tax payments over 12 months, rather than 10. 
This move will lower average band D council tax instalments by an average of £24 per month for 10 months, particularly helping those on fixed incomes, like pensioners.
The new right to choose to pay in 12 monthly instalments comes into effect from April.
Local taxpayers just need to contact their council (the local billing authority) to request the change. No household will be forced to change their payment plan and those who wish to continue to pay in 10 instalments may do so.
Mr Mowat (pictured) said: “This latest move shows that Conservatives in government are doing all they can to keep council tax bills down for people who work hard and want to get on in life.”
The move comes on top of central Government funding to freeze council tax for the third consecutive year, the introduction of local referendums to veto high council tax hikes and the scrapping of Labour’s expensive council tax revaluation.
The MP added: “Here in Warrington, council tax almost doubled under Labour. Conservatives in Government have shown that they will do all they can to keep gcouncil tax bills down for families and pensioners. For the third year running the government are offering to freeze council tax, which would benefit local people if taken up by Warrington Borough Council.
“Residents in Warrington have already saved £134 on a Band D bill thanks to Conservatives freezing council tax. By making it possible for taxpayers to pay over 12 months rather than 10, households will be able to bring down their monthly outgoings and have more control over when they pay their bills. I urge any household that would benefit from this change to exercise their new right.”
Making council tax easier to pay
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
smoke and mirrors approach…. surely CUTTING the bin collection service should reduce the council tax we have to pay anyway or are the council going to screw us on that one too to fund pay rises and bonuses for senior members?
??? Am I missing something here ?? I’ve been paying my Council tax over a 12 month period for the past five years ……. this is not a ‘new right’ at all and yes I work hard and want to get on in life too !!
How can this be a news story when the facility to pay over a 12 month period has existed for years ……. ????
Isn’t it 10 months when you pay by Direct Debit?
We pay ours by direct debit over 10 months but YES as ‘Annoyed CTP’ rightly says it seems you CAN ALREADY pay it by direct debit over 12 months instead if you want to according to WBC’s website. I never knew that. I read that WBC might be putting their council tax up by 2% this year. Anyone know if they have decided too yet ?