East Lindsey 2021-2022 Council Tax Factsheet 1.1 Lincolnshire County Council, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire & East Lindsey District Council Council Tax Information Budget Summary Local Policing Summary Contacting East Lindsey District Council Tel: 01507 601111 Web: www.e-lindsey.gov.uk Email: [email protected] Lincolnshire County Council County Offices, Newland, Lincoln LN1 1YL General enquiries: 01522 552222 Fax: 01522 516137 Email: [email protected] Minicom service: 01522 552055 Web: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk If you want any more information on the County Council’s budget for 2021/2022, email [email protected] or visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/finance Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire Deepdale Lane, Nettleham, Lincoln LN2 2LT Tel: 01522 947192 Email: [email protected] | Web: www.lincolnshire-pcc.gov.uk Lincolnshire Police General Enquiries Tel: 01522 532222 (your call may be recorded) | Emergencies: 999 and ask for police Minicom/textphone: 01522 558140 | Web: www.lincs.police.uk East Lindsey 2021-2022 Council Tax Factsheet 1.2 Here’s a summary of the 2021/22 budget: In recent years, the District Council has faced A Market Towns investment fund to help significant financial challenges, achieving savings support economic growth (building on the through new and more efficient ways of working existing programme of interventions along the which has included a new Strategic Alliance with coast, including the Towns Fund investment Boston Borough Council which will save the in Mablethorpe and Skegness, announced by Council £1.2m per year. Government in the Budget). The Council has this year increased its proportion Increased capital investment in Council of Council Tax by 3.37% - £4.95 per year – an assets to help generate more income, reduce extra 9.5p per week for a Band D property. East maintenance and other running costs and help Lindsey District Council’s element of the Council deliver services more efficiently. Tax remains one of the lowest in the country and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Richard is 8% of the overall Council Tax bill it collects. Fry, said: “We are now over a year into the A number of measures have been included in the Covid-19 pandemic and it has had a profound budget which aim to address some of the issues effect on our finances as a Council and the caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and support finances of our residents and businesses. This the area’s economic recovery, whilst still ensuring budget will ensure that the Council can remain the Council remains financially resilient and able to financially resilient, as we look to maximise our deliver the services we have to by law, including income and savings, whilst also supporting our support to the most vulnerable residents. communities and providing the basis for our area’s economic recovery.” Some of the measures announced include: A re-distribution of revenue funding to provide additional focus on economic growth, market towns investment, deprivation, commercial expansion and reducing the impact of the Council’s services on the environment. East Lindsey 2021-2022 Council Tax Factsheet 2.1 Paying your bill Are you paying too much Council Tax? The those occupied by: information in these factsheets about discounts, exemptions, people with disabilities and Council - a minister of religion or a religious community Tax Support is intended as a guide only. In most - more than one household cases there are additional qualifying conditions to - resident staff or asylum seekers. be met. Please check our website or contact us for Please contact us if you have been made the liable further information. person and you believe this to be incorrect. Contacting us about changes What are valuation bands and corrections – can you appeal? Please tell us if: The Valuation Office Agency, an executive agency we’ve sent the bill to the wrong person of HM Revenue and Customs, has given each you’ve moved house property a valuation band, from A to H, according to its market value in April 1991. If your property we’ve calculated your bill wrongly was built after April 1991, it will be valued as if it we’ve calculated your Council Tax Support wrongly had existed then. you should receive a discount, an exemption, a disabled band reduction or Council Tax Support Band Market Value (at April 1991) you should no longer receive a discount, an A Up to £40,000 exemption, a disabled band reduction or as B £40,001 - £52,000 much Council Tax Support. C £52,001 - £68,000 You must notify us of a change in circumstances D £68,001 - £88,000 within 21 days. Failure to do so could result in a E £88,001 - £120,000 penalty of £70 being imposed. F £120,001 - £160,000 G £160,001 - £320,000 Who gets the Council Tax? H More than £320,000 East Lindsey District Council collects the Council Tax. However, we keep just over 8% of the charge. You can appeal against the valuation band if: We pay the rest over to Lincolnshire County it’s within six months of you becoming the taxpayer Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for the value changes because of demolition work, a Lincolnshire and Parish and Town Councils. conversion, a change of use or any other physical change to the property’s location. What is Council Tax and who has to pay? You must carry on paying your Council Tax while your appeal is being considered. Council Tax is a tax on people’s homes. Council For more information about valuation bands and police services are paid for by income from or appeals, contact: Government grants, Council Tax, fees and other The Valuation Officer for Lincolnshire, Valuation charges. Owner occupiers and their partners Office Agency, Durham Customer Service Centre, usually have to pay the Council Tax bill. Where Wycliffe House, Green Lane, Durham, DH1 3UW homes are rented, the tenants and their partners Telephone: 03000 501501 will have to pay. In the case of empty homes, it’s Web: www.voa.gov.uk normally the owner who has to pay. The owners of these properties have to pay too: If your initial appeal fails, you have further avenues of appeal, which will be explained to you by the residential care homes, nursing homes and Valuation Office Agency. hostels continued East Lindsey 2021-2022 Council Tax Factsheet 2.2 We are under a duty to protect the public funds we administer. We may use the information you provide for the prevention and detection of fraud. We the annexe is unoccupied and subject to a may also share this information with other bodies planning condition, restricting who can occupy. responsible for auditing or administering public The discount is 50% and lasts for as long as all funds for these purposes. Full details of how your the conditions are met. You will need to provide information is used can be found on our website. confirmation you are using the annexe as part of your home and from what date, or details of the Council Tax Discounts relatives relationship with you, their name and date You may be able to get a discount or, in some cases, of occupation. You must also advise us of any a full exemption if no-one lives in the property. other address they live at and why you consider this annexe to be their main home. Empty Properties If your property is unfurnished and needs major Occupied Properties repairs or is undergoing structural alterations to You can get a 25% discount on your bill if there make it habitable, you might be entitled to a 25% is only one person aged 18 or over living in your discount for an Uninhabitable Property (up to 12 home. People under 18 are not included. months). For Council Tax purposes, people in one of the If your property is empty and unfurnished, you groups listed below are NOT included when might be entitled to a 100% discount for up to 2 counting the number of people living in your months. home. An application form and/or evidence will The time periods run from when the conditions for be required: getting the discount are first met. These discounts - most full-time students, student nurses and can apply to an owner or tenant and do not start some apprentices again when a property changes hands. - the partner of a student or the dependant of Properties empty longer than 2 years will be subject a student who is not a British citizen and is to a Long Term Empty Premium charge. not allowed to work in this country, or claim benefits Furnished Properties For furnished properties that are not used as - people who are long-term patients in hospital anyone’s home (we call these second homes), or who live in care homes there is no discount and a full Council Tax is - people who are severely mentally impaired payable. - 18 and 19 year olds still eligible for child benefit Annexes From April 2014, the Government introduced a - school and college leavers (from April to 50% discount for family annexes. October if they are under 20 years old) - low-paid care workers (usually employed by This applies to an annexe (or similar self contained charities) part of a home) which is occupied as part of the main home or is the main home of a relative of the - residents of hostels for the homeless or night Council Tax payer of the main home. To apply for shelters this discount simply complete the application form. - carers looking after someone who is not their partner and not a child of their own who is The annexe may be exempt, meaning no Council under 18 years old Tax will be due, if: - members of religious communities the relative occupying is aged 65 or over; or - members of visiting armed forces and has a severe mental impairment; or international institutions is substantially and permanently disabled continued East Lindsey 2021-2022 Council Tax Factsheet 2.3 - diplomats - people in prison (except for those in prison for non-payment of fines or Council Tax).