If you have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and this impacting on your ability to pay your Council Tax, Business Rates or Housing Benefit Over-payment, please contact us by email in the first instance.
Better to email than write a letter
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic our officers will need to work from home. Consequently, there may be delays in us being able to receive letters sent to the Council Offices and respond to your query.
Where possible, please email your query to us as this will ensure that we can access your query wherever we are working and respond to you more quickly.
We appreciate that some people may not have access to an email account but if they can ask a relative/friend/neighbour to email on their behalf we will respond where we can, subject to data protection requirements.
The following email addresses are available for Council Tax and Business Rates queries:
For Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction queries;
You can contact us by phone, however you may experience longer waiting times than usual.
Help with Council Tax payments as a result of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Our annual bills for Council Tax were prepared and printed before any Government announcements. We are aware that changes may be required but we are still awaiting the official guidance in order to implement them. Our website will be updated with any information when it’s available. In the meantime, please follow the most recent bill that you have received.
Hardship scheme
The Government has announced a funding scheme of £500m nationally to support households struggling with Council Tax payments.
The funding provides for all customers of working age, who qualify for Council Tax Support during 2020/21, receiving an additional reduction of £150 (or to nil if their net liability is less than £150 after all other discounts).
We are working to apply the £150 reduction to accounts as soon as possible. You do NOT need to claim this reduction. We will contact you once it has been awarded.
If you are struggling to make payments see the ‘Help if you are struggling to make payments’ section on this page.
Help if you are struggling to make payments
We understand that people may be experiencing difficulties in paying Council Tax due the effects of COVID-19 on income and social distancing. If you are struggling and need some help, please email us at counciltax@wealden.gov.uk
When you email us, please tell us your Council Tax Account reference, name and address and provide a contact telephone number in case we need to call you.
Tell us why you are struggling to pay during this time and also what you think would help you. For example, spreading your instalments April to March (if you are not already doing so). Deferring April and pay May to March.
If you would like to set up a direct debit please ensure that you provide your bank details. Our direct debit payment dates are; 1st 15th and 25th of the month.
Apply for Council Tax Reduction
If you are on a low income you may be eligible for Council Tax Reduction.