Leaving Home in the Highlands

Bills

Council Tax

Council tax is paid by every household. The payment covers your water, waste charges and also services provided by the council in the Highlands.

Council tax is placed into bands from A to H. Determining what band you are in is based on the value of your home in 1991.

Help and Advice

For help and advice about your council tax bill you can use the contact details below.

You can email operations: Team@highland.gov.uk
Call: 0800393811
Write to: OperationsTeam, PO BOX 5650, Inverness, IV3 5YX.

Customer Service Centre
This service will also offer help and advice and is run from Alness.

Telephone: 01349 886606
Email: customerservice@highland.go.uk
This service is run 8am till 6pm, Monday to Friday and 9am till noon on a Saturday.

Paying your council Tax
Council Tax can be paid numerous ways depending on your circumstances, there is a method to suit you.

When you can pay
Weekly - on a Friday
Fortnightly - on a Friday
Monthly - on the 1st, 15th or 28th
Quarterly - on the 1st, 15th or 28th
Yearly - on the 1st, 15th or 28th

Methods to pay
>local service point
>post office
>You can set up direct debit payments Via the internet www.highland.gov.uk/directdebit
>Call 08456024232 to make a payment or set up direct debit. If paying by credit card you will incur a 2% charge.
>Bank credit transfer
>Tele-banking

Types of Payments
Cash
Direct debit
Credit card
Cheque

Discounts
You maybe eligible for a discount to your council tax. The following are a few examples;

• Single Occupancy
• Second Adult rebate – if second adult is on low income
• Under 18
• Student

The council has published a useful booklet detailing all your questions about council tax. Click on this link for all the details: http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4C22AA1F-ECF4-4F4A-85EF-F4D2AFB36334/0/CTBooklet20102011.pdf

Paying Rent

The amount of rent you have to pay depends on the type and size of your house. You will be told how much you have to pay when you start a new tenancy & when you sign the lease.

With the Highland Council when you become a tenant they will start up a rent account and give you a swipe card. Then, each week they will charge your rent to this account.

If you are having difficulty paying your rent then contact your local Housing Office as soon as possible. If you are on a low income then you might be able to get help through Housing Benefit.

TV Licence

If you haven't already got your TV Licence then you really do need to get one. On average about 1000 people without them are caught each day. It is illegal to receive or record TV programmes without a licence and if you are caught you can end up with a fine of up to £1000 - it isn't worth the risk!

A TV licence costs £145.50 a year.
A black and white TV licence costs £49.00.

You can pay various ways:

A direct debit can be set up with your bank-

Monthly
• The cost is spread out over the month however for your first TV licence this is collected in the first 6 months at a cost of £24.00 per month. After this year it will be collected monthly at the normal rate.

Quarterly
• The cost is spread over four payments of £37.00. However there is a charge of £1.25 per quarter that is incurred due to licences are paid for in advance this charge is included in the price.

Yearly
• One-off payment of £145.50.

Debit and credit cards
You can pay over the phone, or at a payment point. You will need to pay the full yearly fee if you choose this method.

Payment card
• Allows you to pay a regular amount which will be laid out in a payment plan for you, usually 26 weekly payments of £5.60. After your first TV licence you can switch to fortnightly payments.

• You can also pay monthly with the card; however you will need to pay your first licence in the first 6 months. After this it will be over the 12 months.
You can pay at a payment point, online, by phone or by text.

Savings card
• You can deposit money on your account to pay for your next bill. £2 is the minimum payment. This is stored in an account should you lose the card, the payment still exists.

You can pay at a payment point, online, or by phone.

If you already have a licence and need to make any changes, these can be made from the website.

Visit the website for further information:
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk

Gas & Electricity

As with everything there are many options and choices when choosing a gas and electricity supplier; how to pay, and what plan you should be on. They all offer advice on their respective websites.

When moving into a new house it is important to take meter readings from the both the gas and electric meters, that way you can inform the supplier of these figures. They will ask when you moved into the property, the address, and also if it is a prepayment meter they may need the serial number from the meter. This way you ensure your billing starts from that point on.

There are many price comparison websites which base their information on your tariff, what you pay each month, and what type of plan you are on. So if you have just moved into the property it will be hard to compare this.

Discounts can be made in various ways:

• If you choose the same supplier for both gas and electric you can register for a dual fuel package.

• Many suppliers are now offering free electricity monitors whereby you can monitor your usage, and look at where you can save on it. There are rewards if you reduce the amount of power you use. Linking this with your computer can also provide you with added information.

• Your method of payment can also save you money.

• Registering online so that you can check your account without receiving a paper bill is also another way to save you money.

The following is a list of payment methods, however it is worth checking with your supplier what they have available, as different companies may vary.

Pay as you go
Pre-payment meters allow you to add money to your meter through a payment card. This way you can manage payment on a weekly basis. Remember that during the winter months your consumption maybe higher so you need to budget for this. There is an emergency amount on the meter just in case you do fall short. Having a local payment point to your house makes it easier to top up. You can’t get discounts on your usage like you can with other methods of payment.

Quarterly Bills
The bills are sent out every three months. These can be based on an estimated reading so make sure you phone or email an update on your meter readings so that the bill is accurate. This method of payment can be a costly outgoing if you don’t budget. Paying the bill through a direct debit can be set up by calling your supplier and can save money.

Monthly Direct Debits
You pay a set amount every month based on your usage. Updating your supplier with meter readings ensures that you are paying the right amount every month. You will incur a discount by paying this way.

Text Billing
Your supplier will hold your direct debit details. They will text your bill to you. You then text back “yes” and the amount will be taken from your account. Again discount can be incurred if you text back within a given time.

Payment Card
This gives you the flexibility to pay money towards your bill before you receive it.

Credit and Debit Card
You can call and pay over the phone once you have received your bill.

Cheque or Postal Order
You can post the cheque or postal order made out to your supplier check the details.

Tips and Advice

You can save money by being aware of how you use power. The following are some pointers, however this list is not exhaustive:

Don’t leave appliances on standby, unplug them from the wall.

• There are many devices available to assist you to do this, for example, timers on plugs to ensure the appliance is switched off.
• There is also a Sava socket whereby you can switch it off remotely.
• Dryer balls can be placed in the dryer and cut down on drying time.
• Adjusting the temperature of your hot water by a few degrees.

Check out the links to the following websites for other ideas
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/environmentandgreenerliving/energyandwatersaving/dg_064371

Telephone Bills

Whether you are installing a phone in your house for the first time or looking for a better deal, there are a few things to consider. The more research you do the more informed the choice you can make is, so remember to read the small print.

First check what phone points you have in your house. There might be a BT line or a cable point. If you are also looking to connect to the internet, you need to find out what is available in your area. For example, a company may offer 24 mb broadband, but you may have a limit on how much you can surf.
There are phone packages to suit when you use your phone the most, i.e. evening and weekends, weekends only, unlimited, all the time.

You may wish to combine internet connection and TV deals.

Some of the costs to look for:
• Line rental – Usually there is an introductory rate, and then it changes to a higher rate.
• Contract – There may be a set contract linked to the deal you choose.
• Calls – Different packages are available depending on your usage. There is usually a set fee for this.
• Mobile calls – Check the rate. Some companies enable you to select frequently called numbers and these will be charged at a set rate.
• Broadband – Websites will offer a speed checker based on your postcode. Think about what you would download, and if the package would suit those needs.
• TV packages – Different set top boxes have different channels available.
• Connection fee
• Moving home – You may be charged a fee to take your current setup.

As an example I have used TalkTalk to show what charges there are:

• Line rental - £6.99 for the first three months and then £10.99 a month.
• Contract – Minimum term is 18 months.
• Calls - Unlimited evening and weekends calls (including 0845/0870) free voice mail, free calling circle (choose 16 mobile numbers and international numbers and get 10% off those calls).
• Mobile calls – Daytime 12p per minute, evening 7p per minute.
• International calls - These vary depending on location. Check out this link on the website: http://broadband.talktalk.co.uk/pricing/essentials
• Call charges for calls not included in the package i.e. directory enquires, charge a 10.9p connection charge.
• Broadband - Fast broadband up to 24 Meg (top speed depends on your line and location) my estimated speed came in at 12.1 Meg.
• 40GB monthly download allowance.
• Free wireless router.
• Free Magic Desktop - Give your kids a head start with this fun educational computer programme. Free technical and customer support (from your TalkTalk line).
• Connection Fee - £29.99.
• Moving home - Should you wish to move house and take your package there is a cost: £49.99.
• There is a deal if you register online, they will give you £30 back.
• 30-day no-quibble trial