Council Tax

Council Tax helps pay for local services like policing and rubbish collection. Council Tax applies to all domestic properties, including houses, bungalows, flats, maisonettes, mobile homes and houseboats, whether owned or rented.

Properties were valued by the Government's Valuation Office Agency in 1991 and placed in one of eight tax bands. The amount of Council Tax you pay depends on the tax band that your property is in.

The amount that Kent residents pay in Council Tax contributes to services from Kent County Council; your local borough, district or city council; the police and fire authorities; and (in many areas) a parish or town council.

The money collected from council tax accounts for 24% of Kent County Council's total spending and the money pays for public services such as social care, roads, waste disposal, libraries, country parks and other community services.

Your district council is responsible for distributing Council Tax bills to households each March. They are also responsible for collecting Council Tax and distributing the money to the relevant local authorities.

There are many ways to pay Council Tax, and help with Council Tax is available if you are on low income.