Dartford, Council Tax

Dartford Borough Council

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in accordance with Section 38 (2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 that Dartford Borough Council set the following Council Tax on 26th February 2024

COUNCIL TAX 2024/2025

*Includes Social Care Precept

 Note: The parished area Council Tax includes five elements - KCC, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, DBC and Parish Council.
T Sams, Head of Finance
Take the hassle out of paying your Council Tax by setting up a direct debit.  It is a quick, straightforward and safe way to pay each month.
Direct debit offers you the security of an automated payment system where you know what you are paying each month. You will be given notice of any changes to the payment, giving you complete peace of mind. It is also cheaper and simpler for us to administer, helping us to keep your Council Tax bills as low as possible.
If you pay by direct debit you can choose the date you make your Council Tax payment from a choice of the 1st, 8th, 15th or 23rd. not paying by direct debit means you must pay your bill by the 1st each month.
To set up a direct debit securely online, visit www.dartford.gov.uk/directdebit
Local Government Finance Act 1992
Notice is hereby given by the Council, in accordance with the provisions of sections 11A, 11B and 11C of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as inserted or amended by the Local Government Act 2003, the Local Government Finance Act 2012, the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Act 2018 and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, the Council makes the following determination which will come into force from 1 April 2024. This determination revokes any previous determinations.
Council Tax Premiums
Effective from 1st April 2024 - Empty Homes Premium
In accordance with Section 11B (1C) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Act 2018 and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, the following premiums will apply to long-term empty and substantially unfurnished dwellings:
(a)    a 100% premium, where the property has been empty for more than one year;
(b)    a 200% premium, where the property has been empty for between five and ten years;
and
(c)    a 300% premium, where the property has been empty for more than 10 years.
The definition of empty means that the dwelling is “unoccupied” and “substantially unfurnished”.
Effective from 1st April 2025 - Second Homes Premium
In accordance with section 11C of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, the Council determines that the discount under section 11(2)(a) shall not apply to dwellings occupied periodically (second homes), and the amount of council tax payable in respect of such dwellings is increased by 100 percent.
A second home is determined to be a dwelling if there is “no resident of the dwelling”, and the dwelling is “substantially furnished”.
As this is the Council’s first determination under this section for this particular premium, it must be made at least one year before the beginning of the financial year to which it relates. This part of the determination therefore has effect for financial years beginning on or after 1 April 2025.