Council Tax

Due to ongoing problems with the Comhairle’s IT infrastructure following the cyber-attack on 7 November 2023, annual bills for Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates have been delayed.  The Following FAQ document answers some common questions around council tax.

Why is council tax impacted?

The system the Comhairle uses to administer council tax had been inaccessible since the cyber-attack on 7 November but we are now starting the recovery process.

What has happened to money I owed prior to this date?

The Comhairle holds the records of all monies owed up to the date of the attack. Although the system is inaccessible at the moment, this is being rebuilt with data the Comhairle hold related to monies owed at the point of the attack. All outstanding monies will continue to be collected.

What has happened to payments made since this date?

All sums paid since the attack have been logged and allocated to accounts.

When will my council tax be billed?

A large number of bills have been issued in May 2024 and we will continue to issue more over the coming weeks. Bills would normally be issued in the middle of March, with the amounts due paid over 10 months from April to January (May to February for non-domestic rates). For 2024/25, this will be changed to June to March. This means that for those who pay by Direct Debit, no payments will be taken in April and May but will be taken in February 2025 and March 2025 instead.

Can I make council tax payments online?

Yes, anyone wishing to make payments before the bill arrives can do so by paying online using the reference on their most recent bill and this will be credited to their account.

Will my direct debit still be charged?

For those who pay by Direct Debit, no payments will be taken in April and May, unless you had an arrangement for old debt, but will be taken in February 2025 and March 2025 instead.

Will changes to my council tax be applied?

All changes to accounts that have been notified will be actioned in the coming months. This will take longer than normal due to the backlog of changes waiting since the attack. We appreciate your patience with this.

I have applied for Council Tax Reduction but have not received notification of the outcome and my bill is not reduced?

If you have applied since the middle of October 2023, your application will be waiting to be processed. As with other correspondence, we are experiencing backlogs and hope to have this processed over the coming months.

Can I still pay using my payment card?

If you have a payment card that you previously used to pay your Council Tax for the same property then you can continue to make payments using this card. The amount you need to pay and the date you need to pay it by is detailed on your bill.