Civil Penalties Policy

We are committed to a pro-active approach in preventing and reducing the risks associated with fraud, error and other irregularities in the administration of Council Tax. Legal statutory powers already exist which allow us to impose civil penalties in several circumstances.

The Civil Penalties Sanction and Prosecution Policy will encourage all taxpayers to report relevant changes in their circumstances when they receive appropriate discounts, exemptions or reliefs and act as a deterrent. The regular reporting of changes in respect of Council Tax discounts and exemptions will mean that we will be able to set a more accurate Council Tax incomes base and this will result in fairer Council Tax bills for all residents.