North East Herts MP, Oliver Heald, 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 particularly help 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. Households can continue to pay in 10 instalments over the year, if they wish - there is no obligation to change.
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.
It 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.
Commenting Oliver Heald said:
‘Conservatives in Government have shown that they will do all they can to keep council tax bills down for families and pensioners. 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 householders who would benefit from this change to exercise their new right.’
ENDS
Contact Oliver Heald QC MP on 01763 247640 or healdo@parliament.uk
Notes to editors
For more information please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/news/action-on-council-tax-a-helping-hand-to-residents-cost-of-living-says-eric-pickles