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  • Paying your Council Tax

Council Tax

  • Paying your Council Tax
    • Difficulties paying your Council Tax
    • Direct Debit - the easiest way to pay
    • Who is responsible for paying Council Tax on a property?
Pay your Council Tax online
Set up your Direct Debit

Contact us

  • ctax@preston.gov.uk

Documents

  • Direct debit mandate form (187KB PDF)

Related pages

  • Council Tax discounts, exemptions and reductions

Paying your Council Tax

Council Tax payments

You can pay your Council Tax:

  • in monthly instalments
  • in a lump sum when you get your bill
  • In two half year instalments

We will assume you wish to pay monthly, though if you want to pay annually this must be done at the beginning of the tax year (April). Any half yearly payments must be made in April and again at the beginning of October.

How to pay your Council Tax

Below is a list of the many different ways which you can pay your Council Tax:

  • Direct Debit
  • Pay online
  • Standing order, telephone banking or online banking
  • Credit or debit card over the phone
  • The Post Office
  • Postal payments
  • PayPoint locations
  • At a bank or building society 

Direct Debit

Direct Debit is the simplest way to pay your Council Tax. For more information see - Direct Debit - the easiest way to pay.

You can set up your Direct Debit the following ways:

Online - complete the  Set up your Direct Debit form

Telephone - Call 01772 906902 with your bank account details and we will set it up for you

Post - complete the Direct Debit instruction form in the documents section and post it to us at the address given at the bottom of this page

Each month, on the due date, we will ask your bank for payment direct from your bank account.

Can I pay 12 months instalments?

Yes you can pay over a 12 month period. To arrange for this 12 months arrangement please email ctax@preston.gov.uk.

Pay Council Tax online

You can pay your Council Tax online using our secure payments system. This is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Pay by standing order, telephone banking or online banking

Please make your payments to Preston City Council. Our bank details are shown below in the Bank or building society section.

You will need to give your Council Tax account reference number*.

Pay by credit or debit card over the telephone

Please telephone 0345 155 0028 and follow the step by step instructions. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Pay at the Post Office

To pay at the Post Office take your bill and present it with your payment. If you do not present your bill you may be charged for the transaction.

Pay by post

Make your cheque or postal order payable to Preston City Council and send it to the address at the bottom of the page.

Write your Council Tax account reference number* on the back of the cheque.

Pay at a PayPoint

There are nearly 22,000 PayPoint places in the UK where you can pay your Council Tax. Look out for the Paypoint logo in the following locations:

  • newsagents
  • convenience stores
  • supermarkets
  • garages

To find where your nearest paypoint is please visit PayPoint and use the PayPoint Store Locator.

To make a payment at a PayPoint take your Council Tax bill to the counter with your cash or card. The transaction is then processed and a receipt is printed for you to retain as proof of payment.

Pay at a bank or building society

Please quote your Council Tax account reference number* together with the council's bank account details:

Account name: Preston City Council
Account No:13162739
Sort Code:16-28-33

The council's bank is:

The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc
Fishergate Branch, 97 Fishergate
Preston
PR1 2DP

*How to find your Council Tax account number

Your Council Tax reference number is an 8 digit number and it can be found on the top right hand side of your bill, just above the bar code.

Your Council Tax balance

If you want to check what your Council Tax balance is at any time you can View your Council Tax account online by registering for a Self serve account.

Can't find the information you are looking for?

If you require help with something in this section, please contact us.

  • Preston City Council
    Revenues and Benefits
    P.O. Box 30
    Town Hall
    Lancaster Road
    Preston
    PR1 2GD
  • Email: ctax@preston.gov.uk
  • Telephone: 01772 906902
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Preston City Council, Town Hall, Preston, PR1 2RL
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