Folkestone and Hythe District Council and Council Tax 2020-21: If you Need Help, Contact the Team

As a Folkestone and Hythe District Council press release on Council Tax in August said: https://folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/seek-financial-support

"Due to the COVID-19 situation, the council suspended all court and bailiff actions, for any unpaid council tax from late March. Legal action to pursue any 2020-21 arrears through the courts which would normally have taken place was also halted."

Court actions have not restarted since then. A limited number of bailiff actions were restarted, but only for those with a judgement already against them (which, by definition, does not include any Council Tax arrears for this financial year, because there have been no court actions).

In this financial year, the council has written, repeatedly, to those with in-year Council Tax arrears to ask them to contact the Council urgently if they are having problems paying.

The council has put together a list of financial support available to residents at https://folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/financial-support There is a benefit and budget calculator which can help work out your personal budget, any entitlement to benefits and how a change can affect your circumstances. If you are unable to go online and complete the calculator or any of the other financial support forms online you should contact customer services on 01303 853555.

The team are committed to trying to help, and seeing if there are deductions or benefits that can be offered. Many thousands of residents have received Council Tax reduction and support over the last year.

Every month the R&B team brief me on the current position on Council Tax payments, Council Tax reduction, Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments, Test and Trace payment requests received and paid, current new claim and change processing times and more.

As Government grants have been offered, run out, changed, then extended the position keeps changing. However, we're focused on not just collection rates but in making sure that if people ask for support they get anything we can offer and that their case is handled quickly and with skill.