How to pay your council tax bill

How can I pay?

There are a number of ways in which you can pay your bill:

• Online account - Sign up for a Salford customer account.
• Direct Debit - To pay your bill by Direct Debit, please call 0161 909 6532 or email counciltaxenquiries@salford.gov.uk, alternatively you can download one from our online forms page or complete and return the one on your bill.
• Online payments - you can pay your council tax bill online in complete confidence using our secure server. This service can also be used to pay a number of other council bills in addition to council tax.
• Telephone payments service - if you have a push button telephone you can use our automated payments service and make your payment by debit or credit card. This facility is available 24 hours a day on 0161 793 3325.
• Internet banking - you can use your own internet banking facilities to pay us. Please make sure that you quote the correct reference/account number. The council's bank details are:
  • Bank account number: 61191259
  • Sort code: 08-90-00
  • Bank account name: Salford City Council
• Customer contact centre - please call 0161 909 6532, though please be aware all calls to this number for payments are now routed to our automated payments service.
• Payzone - you can make a payment at any Payzone outlet by presenting your council tax bill with your payment to the retailer. This service is free.
• At a Post Office - payments may be made by debit card, cash or cheque (payable to Post Office limited) at any Post Office. This service is free. Please present your council tax bill to the cashier along with your payment - the bill contains a barcode that is used to record your payment.
• PayPoint - you can make a payment at any PayPoint outlet by presenting your council tax bill with your cash payment to the retailer. This service is free.
• Cheque by post - cheques should be made payable to 'Salford City Council'. Please ensure that your council tax account reference number is quoted on the back of your cheque. Your cheque should be posted to the Strategic Director of Customer and Support Services, Salford City Council, Unity House, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford M27 5AW.

When making payment by Payzone at a Post Office or by PayPoint please make your payment at least four days before the payment is due, so it will be credited to your account in time. If you are sending a payment by post, please send it a few days before the payment is due. Do not send cash payments through the post, if you wish to make a cash payment please use Payzone, Post Office or PayPoint outlets.

All council tax payers are entitled to pay their current year's bill by a maximum of ten monthly instalments. The number of instalments will be reduced depending on the time of year in which the bill is issued. Direct Debit is the council's preferred payment method as it helps reduce administration and costs. Over 48,000 households in Salford already pay this way. Because Direct Debit offers efficiencies the council is able to offer the advantage of three alternative payment dates other than the first day of each month, these are 5, 15 and 25 of each month. If you decide to pay by Direct Debit there are other advantages too:

• you do not have to complete a new Direct Debit request each year
• you will not have to remember to make your payments
• you will not have to pay the postage to send us a payment
• you will not have to queue up in the Post Office or local shop
• you are covered by the Direct Debit guarantee scheme offered by your bank

Check your balance

You can check your council tax balance online.

Payment difficulties

If you are experiencing difficulty in paying your council tax bill, please contact us as soon as possible. Do not wait for a reminder letter to arrive before contacting us.

We are here to help you, particularly when circumstances are difficult to overcome on your own. Please call us on 0161 909 6502 or email counciltaxenquiries@salford.gov.uk for further guidance.

General advice

If you need any further advice or guidance about paying your council tax bill or any other aspect of council tax, please call 0161 909 6502 or email counciltaxenquiries@salford.gov.uk.

This page was last updated on 30 January 2012