My South Norfolk Council Tax bill
Frequently asked questions
Please see below answers to frequently asked questions when new Council Tax bills are issued.
Our phone lines can be particularly busy during the annual billing period (March and April), so we would encourage you to check whether your question is answered in one of the following sections before trying to call us.
How much will I pay?
You can find out your Council Tax band on the government's website. To check the charges that are in place across all our parishes, download all our charges to check how much Council Tax each parish will pay in South Norfolk.
The Council Tax Guide forms part of your Council Tax bill and provides further information you may find useful. Please click here to see your Council Tax Guide for 2022/23 and here for the Council Tax Guide for 2023/24.
Why has my Council Tax gone up?
The South Norfolk Council element of your Council Tax remains unchanged for 2023/24 but other components that are charged by Norfolk County Council and the Police have increased. The charges set by your local town or parish council may also have changed.
On average the Council Tax bills for 2023/24 across South Norfolk have increased by 4.70% (see table below for more details).
Additional Council Tax Assistance (up to £25.00 for 2023/24 bills)
A new Government scheme to offer more help makes an award of up to £25.00 for residents in receipt of Council Tax Assistance. If your Council Tax bill is less than £25.00 the amount you will receive will also be less. Please see your bill for more details. Any questions relating to this will be dealt with by our Benefits & Housing Team.
How can I reduce my monthly payments?
You can reduce the amount you pay us each month if you currently pay your Council Tax over 10 monthly instalments by switching to pay over 12 instead. If you’d like us to make this change, click here to send us an email.
How much has my Council Tax charges increased (including Adult Social Care)?
| Precepting body | 2022/23 (£) | 2023/24 (£) | Increase (£) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk County Council - Main | 1,350.81 | 1,396.26 | 45.45 | 3.00% |
| Norfolk County Council - Adult social care | 166.14 | 196.38 | 30.24 | 2.00% |
| Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner | 288.00 | 302.94 | 14.94 | 5.19% |
| South Norfolk Council | 165.00 | 165.00 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| Subtotal | 1,969.95 | 2,060.58 | 90.63 | |
| Special expenses (average) | 0.14 | 0.14 | 0.0 | 0.00% |
| Subtotal | 1,970.09 | 2,060.72 | 90.63 | |
| Town and parish councils (average) | 86.66 | 92.76 | 6.10 | 7.04% |
| Total | 2,056.75 | 2,153.48 | 96.73 | 4.70% |
The overall charge levied by Norfolk County Council, which has increased by 5.0%, includes an extra amount they can charge but it must be used to help pay for Adult Social Care (an explanatory statement from the government about this can be found in your Council Tax Guide).
This is how the council tax increase (for Norfolk County Council) is calculated for a Band D household:
- The total 2022-23 charge was £1,516.95
- Add £1,516.95 x 3% = £45.45 for the General council tax increase
- Add £1,516.95 x 2% = £30.24 for the Adult Social Care Precept increase
- Gives total 2023-24 charge of £1,592.64
The following table shows the changes to Norfolk County Council’s overall Council Tax charges (by band).
Norfolk County Council - Council Tax by band
| Property band | 2022/23 (£) | 2023/24 (£) | Increase (£) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1,011.30 | 1,061.76 | 50.46 | 5.0% |
| B | 1,179.85 | 1,238.72 | 58.87 | 5.0% |
| C | 1,348.40 | 1,415.68 | 67.28 | 5.0% |
| D | 1,516.95 | 1,592.64 | 75.69 | 5.0% |
| E | 1,854.05 | 1,946.56 | 92.51 | 5.0% |
| F | 2,191.15 | 2,300.48 | 109.33 | 5.0% |
| G | 2,528.25 | 2,654.40 | 126.15 | 5.0% |
| H | 3,033.90 | 3,185.28 | 151.38 | 5.0% |
The money raised will have to be spent exclusively on adult social care. Find out more about Norfolk County Council's Council Tax, complete a webform or call them 0344 800 8020.
Precept for The Office of Police and Crime Commissioner
The precept increase was endorsed by the Police and Crime Panel. This increase in precept of £14.94 is 5.19% and takes the band D amount to £302.94.
You can find details of the Police Budget and Council Tax on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website.
Why has my parish council precept gone up so much?
South Norfolk Council is not responsible for setting parish council precepts and has no power to control them. Your local town or parish clerk will be able to answer this question for you.
Click here to find the contact details for the clerks of town and parish councils.
What are special expenses?
Special expenses are used as a mechanism to charge elements of the Council Tax to specific areas of the district. These are services that South Norfolk Council carries out on behalf of the town or parish council in specific areas only. South Norfolk Council provides foot way lighting in Costessey and Gillingham.
Further sources of information
Please visit the following websites:
Why does the council want us to register for My Account to manage our accounts online?
Our online offers you so much more. You’ve always been able to make your payments online, but you can now view your account (and benefit claim if you have one) online.
You can tell us you’ve moved, request copy bills and check when your next payments are due without having to call us and at a time that’s convenient to you.
Sending documents to you by email saves the council money as we don’t have to pay for printing, paper for bills, booklets, envelopes and postage.
Operational costs are at the forefront of our mind and making these savings allows the council to keep Council Tax as low as possible.
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Visiting Us
Please be aware that if you are planning to come into the office to see us - you need book an appointment first. Without an appointment we cannot guarantee that there will be an officer available who can deal with your enquiry on your arrival.