Southampton council tax bands (All 8 bands and their charges)

This blog will cover the topic “Southampton council tax bands.” It will talk in detail about the specific procedure of council tax payment in the Southampton council. It will cover all the council tax bands and their charges according to the Southampton city council.

Southampton council tax bands

The general division of council tax bands all across the United Kingdoms is into 8 Bands, from A to H, Band A being the lowest while Band H being the highest.The most common Council Tax band in Southampton is Band A, and the median Council Tax band here is B. The average Council Tax value in Southampton is £1,243.64.

Southampton City Council

Southampton City Council is a Unitary Authority in the United Kingdom. The council consists of several residential as well as commercial properties. It contains approximately 109,774 residential properties which are subject to Council Tax, and approximately 6,716 commercial properties which are subject to Business Rates.

The website of the Council provides means and details regarding council tax payment for properties in Southampton.

Privacy statement

The council tax portion of the council’s website first talks of its users’ privacy.The website states its purpose first of all, that is for the user’s information so that they are able to handle the user’s enquiry and use the information to contact them.

The privacy statement section of the council enlists the various organisations, or sectors where a user’s information might be forwarded by them.

It covers the following:

  • They state beforehand that they may share the user’s information with other organisations or council departments, if they see the need for it.
  • They explain that any user’s  information shall be passed to their payment provider, in order to make and expedite the payment.
  • The council also states that it might disclose some personal details to banks and other financial institutions in order to process any user’s work..
  • Besides, they are permitted to share any information in order to prevent, investigate or prosecute criminal offences, or as anyway required by the law.

Paying a council tax bill in Southampton

The council’s website next in the council tax section specifies the process of paying council tax bills if you are in Southampton.

It states the following:

  • First you need to find your Council Tax account number from the top left corner of any bills or reminders sent to you by your council.
  • Then you need to enter the amount you need to pay. This you need to enter the exact value in £, using both pounds and pence for example 21.86
  • Next you need to enter your email so that you can receive an electronic copy of your receipt.
  • After that you need to click ‘Continue’, so that you are transferred to their payment provider to complete your payment.
  • On the next page, you need to fill in the payment details and method, to proceed with making your payment.

You can reach the Southampton city Council website through the UK Government page

Basis of council tax banding 

The amount of Council Tax needed to be paid by you is determined by the ‘Valuation banding’ that is allocated according to your property. This banding is assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) which is a part of Her Majesty’s Revenues & Customs. It is not set by the Southampton council.

It is your Council Tax bill that shows which band your property is in.

The current Council Tax bands in England have been in effect since 1993, determined upon the prices calculated as per the value of properties as they were in April 1991.You can find out the Council Tax band for your property through typing your postcode in the search box available on GOV.UK.

Southampton Band Charges for 2021-22

Southampton Council Tax Bands are as per the price the respective properties had in April 1991.

The value of all the eight Bands in Southampton Council Tax Bands are as follows:

  • Band A up to, and including £40,000
  • Band B between £40,001 and £52,000
  • Band C between £52,001 and £68,000
  • Band D between £68,001 and £88,000
  • Band E between £88,001 and £120,000
  • Band F between £120,001 and £160,000
  • Band G between £160,001 and £320,000
  • Band H more than £320,000

The following are the council tax charges for each of the corresponding council tax bands in Southampton:

Monthly

  • Band A : £107.83
  • Band B : £125.83
  • Band C : £143.83
  • Band D : £161.75
  • Band E : £197.75
  • Band F : £233.67
  • Band G : £269.58
  • Band H : £323.58

As is clear with these rates, Band A is for the cheapest properties and charges the least, while Band H is for the most expensive properties and it charges the most.

Annual 

Each of these monthly rates multiplied by 12 is yur annual payment of council tax for each band in Southampton.

Adult social care funding

Along with the monthly council tax, there is an additional adult social care funding given to the adult social care authorities. Adult social care authorities are local authorities which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act of 2014. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government made an offer to adult social care authorities for it to be able to charge an additional precept on its council tax without holding a referendum, so that it can meet its expenditure on adult social care from the financial year 2016-17. This proposition was originally made for up to the financial years of 2019-20. However, the Secretary of State chose to renew this offer in respect of the financial year 2021-22, as he was allowed to do, upon the approval of the House of Commons.

The value of the Adult Social Care charged for each of the Council tax bands in Southampton is as stated below:

  • Band A : £124.21
  • Band B : £144.91
  • Band C : £165.61
  • Band D : £186.31
  • Band E : £227.71
  • Band F : £269.11
  • Band G : £310.52
  • Band H : £372.62

Who pays council tax in Southampton

Council Tax is a local tax that is applicable over all residential properties in the UK. The payment of this tax imposed is done by a person made ‘liable’ as per the rules. This ‘liable’ person is always one who is aged more than 18, responsible for that property, who can carry out the duties assigned to him, such as paying the bill or notifying the council of any changes. 

Any person over 18, who resides in a property, or owns or rents a house, and is sufficiently able to do so, in general pays the council tax. A  full Council Tax bill assumes at least 2 adults living on a property. Spouses, partners and adults who live together are jointly responsible for paying their council tax.

If there are more than one person living on a property, the person who is liable to pay council tax is determined by a system called the hierarchy of liability. The hierarchy goes from top to bottom. The topmost person is the one responsible for paying council tax, in whose absence, the next will be responsible and so on.

  1. First liability falls upon the resident owner-occupier who owns the freehold or leasehold of all or any part of the property.
  1. If there is no freeholder or leaseholder, council tax liability is that of the resident statutory tenant on an assured tenancy agreement, such as a council or private tenant.
  1. In absence of a tenant even, the liability is that of the resident who lives in the property, and is a licensee, that is, a person who is not a tenant but has permission to live there.
  1. If there is no licensee even, then any resident staying at the property, for example a squatter has to pay the council tax.
  1. As a last resort, if the property is not at all occupied by any resident, then the council tax liability falls upon the owner of the property who doesn’t live there

In the following situations, the landlord is responsible for paying the council tax in Southampton:

  • If you are living in a house in multiple occupancy (HMO), that is, a house or flat that has been built or changed for living in by one or more people who are not part of the same household.
  • If all the people living in a property.are under the age of 18.
  • If the property is used by people who are  seeking an asylum, and are  living in accommodation provided by the UK Border Agency
  • If the property is being used fir a temporary stay, while the current residents have their main homes somewhere else
  • If the property is a care home, hospital, hostel for homeless people or women’s refuge.

Who does not count for council tax calculation

The following people are not regarded as ‘Adults’, and do not count for council tax reduction in Southampton:

  • If everyone living on a property is a full-time student
  • A property where a Foreign Language Assistants on the official British Council programme is staying in
  • If all the persons living on a property are under 18.
  • If the house is a rented one, where house support is provided, and there is a common kitchen and bathroom for every resident there.

However, even if your property is exempt from council tax payment in Southampton, the Southampton city council provides that you still need to register for Council Tax for that property so the council is aware of who is living in the property.

After registering on the website, you can then avail the applicable discounts or exemptions on the property.

Conclusion 

This blog covered the topic “Southampton council tax bands.” It talked in detail about the specific procedure of council tax payment in the Southampton council. It covered all the council tax bands and their charges according to the Southampton city council.

FAQs 

How much is Band A council tax in Southampton?

In Southampton, the council tax for Band A is £107.83 monthly, which equates to £1,294.00

What are the bands for council tax?

The council tax bands are from Band A to Band H, depending upon the cost of the property as it was in April 1991.

What does council tax band C mean?

Council tax band C means that your property is valued between £52,000 and £68,000.

At what age is council tax free?

Council tax is free for persons below 18 years of age. You do not have to pay any council tax if you are of an age less than 18 years.

Why is my council tax more than my Neighbours?

Your council tax might be more than your neighbours because they might be in a different band than you. It might be even when you are in the wrong council tax band, or if they are in wrong council tax band. 

Citations 

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/li/council_tax.in.Hythe,%20Southampton,%20Hampshire/
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/student-admin/council-tax-info.page

http://www.mycounciltax.org.uk/results?postcode=so181qu 

http://www.mycounciltax.org.uk/results?postcode=so197gs 

http://www.mycounciltax.org.uk/results?postcode=so142ea

https://counciltaxrates.info/southampton-city-council#.YW5OJxpBzIV
https://www.counciltax.info/council/southampton
https://www.gov.uk/pay-council-tax/southampton
https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/budgetspendingandperformance/bands
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/council-tax/information/council-tax-business-rates/
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/council-tax/information/bands/
https://scccrmportal.southampton.gov.uk/services/pay-council-tax-bill
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/scc_payments/
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/