Pay your Council Tax

You can pay your Council Tax by:

  • Direct Debit
  • online
  • phone
  • online or phone banking
  • post
  • in person at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet (not at the Civic Centre)

Direct Debit

The easiest way to pay your Council Tax is by Direct Debit.

You can spread payments over 10 or 12 months, and you can choose to pay on either the:

  • 1st
  • 8th
  • 15th
  • 25th

If you would like to start paying by Direct Debit please call the Revenues and Benefits team on 01279 446688.

The Council Tax office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (closed bank holidays).

You will need your:

  • Council Tax account number
  • bank name, branch and sort code
  • bank account number and the name on the account

Alternatively, you can also complete the Council Tax Direct Debit form (pdf) and return to the Revenues and Benefits team.

Online

You can pay your Council Tax online using most debit and credit cards.

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Your transaction may take longer to process due to new security steps required by your bank to confirm your identity. If you cannot complete an online payment, you can try calling the automated payment line on 01279 446600 to complete your payment.

You will need your Council Tax account number.

Phone

You can use our 24 hour automated telephone payment line to pay your Council Tax.

You need to call: 01279 446600

You will need your:

  • Council Tax account number
  • card details

Online or phone banking

You can transfer your Council Tax payment from your bank account into our bank account, using our bank details.

Contact the Revenues and Benefits team on 01279 446688 for our bank details.

Post

You can pay your Council Tax by post using a cheque.

To pay by cheque, you need to:

  • make your cheque payable to Harlow Council
  • write your Council Tax account number and your address on the back of the cheque
  • send your cheque to us in the post (contact details below), or post it in the secure box at the Civic Centre
  • include a stamped self-addressed envelope if you want us to send you a receipt

You should not send us post-dated cheques as we cannot accept them.

In person

You can use your payment swipe card to pay your Council Tax by:

Contact us to order your card.

You cannot pay in person at the Civic Centre.

Pay over 12 months

To help you budget, you may be able to spread your Council Tax payments over 12 months (April to March) rather than the usual 10 (April to January).

To make this change, you need to contact the Revenues and Benefits team on 01279 446688 before the 1 April to receive the full 12 instalments for your next bill. 

If you contact us after 1 April, but before 15 May, we will divide the amount you owe over the remaining months in the year, which ends on 31 March.

Contact information

Office
Revenues and Benefits
Harlow Council
Civic Centre
The Water Gardens
College Square
Harlow
CM20 1WG
01279 446688