General Council Tax information

What does my Council Tax Pay for?

Your Council Tax helps to pay for a wide range of local services like policing and refuse collection. It applies to all domestic properties including houses, bungalows, flats, maisonettes, mobile homes and houseboats, whether owned or rented.

There is one bill per property, whether it is owned or rented. The people who live in the property will normally have to pay the Council Tax.

• The amount you pay depends on:
• The valuation band of your property (set by the Valuation Office Agency).
• Whether you are entitled to any help with paying your bill though the Council Tax Benefit scheme.
• Any discount or exemption under Council Tax legislation due to your own personal circumstances.

Receive my bills by email

You can now receive your Council Tax bill electronically by registering for an online account. During the registration process you'll be asked if you'd like to receive bills and notifications by email (or if you're already signed up, you can opt for electronic billing at any time).

You'll get your bills the same day they're issued and you'll always be up to date with your account.

Register for an OPENPortal Online Account

How is my Council Tax calculated?

Please read our Understanding my Council Tax Bill page for important information that accompanies your bill.

Read our Financial Information page to find out how your bill is made up, including the charges set by individual Parishes and other Precepting Authorities.

Our Council Tax bands by Parish page shows the total Council Tax charged for 2022/2023 for each band, by Parish. The charges shown in the tables are before any exemptions or discounts are applied.

Our Income and Expenditure explains where the money to pay for the services provided by South Cambridgeshire District Council comes from, and what it's spent on.

Council Tax Instalment Scheme

Your bill will normally ask you to pay the Council Tax over ten monthly instalments. However, you can now have the option to pay over twelve months.

If you would prefer to pay over twelve months rather than the usual ten, please contact us to request this.

How can I appeal?

If you do not think you are liable for the Council Tax for the property you've been billed for, or you think an exemption or discount should be applied - you can appeal the decision.

You must first appeal to us directly in writing at revenues@scambs.gov.uk or by letter, to the Revenues Department. You must provide detailed reasons for your appeal to allow the matter to be reconsidered.

There is a further right to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal against the Council's decision. To read more information, visit the Valuation Tribunal website.

Permission for someone else to discuss my account

If you wish for someone to be able to discuss your Council Tax account with us on your behalf, please print, complete and return this permission to share [PDF, 69Kb] document.

Council Tax and Freeman on the Land

The Freeman on the Land movement and similar groups, commonly believe that they are bound only by statute laws they consent to.

Being a ‘freeman’ does not exempt any person from paying Council Tax.

The liability to pay Council Tax falls under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and later regulations. This is a statute created by a democratically elected Parliament of the United Kingdom which has received the assent of the Crown.

Liability to pay Council Tax is set by The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992. This gives local authorities the right to demand Council Tax which is used to fund essential local services.

Council Tax is not optional and not something you consent to. If you are liable to pay Council Tax, you must make your payments.

Any reference to a person not having consented or there being a contractual relationship between the Council has no legal basis.

We will not respond to any correspondence that relies on inaccurate arguments that have no basis in statute.