Your Council Tax explained
Council Tax short video guides
We are often asked where your Council Tax charge goes, why you should pay it, and what to do if you can't afford it.
To help with this, we've put together these short videos on our YouTube pages that have all the answers to these questions and more.
Let's Talk About Council Tax - Lewes District Council
Let's Talk About Council Tax - Eastbourne Borough Council
Council Tax valuation bands
Your property is placed in one of eight bands to allow the council to calculate your Council Tax bill.
Council Tax band property values
Property values are based on the amount your property might have sold for on the open market as at 1st April 1991. All properties are assigned a valuation as at that date, even if they were built recently. The valuation is by the Valuation Office Agency, which is part of HM Revenues and Customs.
| Valuation values | Range of band |
|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 |
| H | more than £320,000 |
Details of property bands are available on Gov.uk, where you can also check your Council Tax band.
If you think your Council Tax band is wrong please contact:
Council Tax South,
Valuation Office Agency,
Second Floor,
1 Francis Grove
Wimbledon London
SW19 4DT.
Tel: 0300 050 1501
If you submit an appeal against your Council Tax band you must still continue to pay the instalments shown on your Council Tax bill until a final decision is made.
Council Tax Appeals
As well as appealing against the Council Tax band for your property you can also appeal against other Council Tax matters. For example, if you do not think you are the person who should pay the bill or if you think you should get a discount, reduction or exemption which you have not received.
An appeal about a Council Tax matter must be made in writing to the address on the front of your bill.
Please note that if you submit an appeal you must continue to pay the instalments shown on your Council Tax bill until a final decision is made. If you make an appeal to us about a Council Tax matter and you are not satisfied with the outcome, we would tell you at that stage how you could make a further appeal to an independent tribunal.
Residents have been contacted by companies saying they can offer valuations, council tax banding, and area comparisons of their property in the hope of saving them thousands of pounds in council tax, however they will charge a 'small' administration fee of anything upwards of £65. If you are contacted by one of these companies please remember that the Valuation Office Agency offers this service for free, as well as letting you check your current council tax banding online.
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