Disputes & Appeals - Council Tax Support

Council Tax Support is not a benefit. Council Tax Support is a reduction made to a council tax account by issuing you a discount. Because of this the appeals process differs slightly to that which was in place for council tax benefit.

If you disagree with a decision about your Housing or Council Tax Support, you can:

• Ask us to explain the decision in more detail.
• Ask us to look at your Council Tax Support again and reconsider it.
• Make an appeal to Boston Borough Council which can progress to an independent tribunal.

Ask us to explain the decision in more detail

You can ask us to explain the decision in more detail. You can do this either by telephone or in writing. An explanation will be sent to you. This will not be treated as a reconsideration or an appeal.

Ask us to look at your Council Tax Support again and reconsider it

If you get a decision in writing from us about Council Tax Support, and you do not agree with the decision that has been made, you or a person acting on behalf need to write to us advising that you are aggrieved by the decision.

You must say why you think the decision is wrong. It is not enough to say "I do not agree with the decision" or "The money is not enough". The reason you give should provide specific details. If you are aggrieved by more than one decision, you must say why you do not agree with each one.

You can do this by writing to the following address:

Boston Borough Council

(Council Tax Support Appeal)

Municipal Buildings

West Street

Boston

Lincolnshire

PE21 8QR

Time Limit

This should be done as quickly as possible after we have made our decision. We will look at our decision again, and we must do this within 2 months of receiving your written notification.

If the decision can be changed:

• We will change the decision from the date of the original decision
• If you do not agree with the new decision, you can ask us to look at it again

If the decision cannot be changed:

• We will send you a letter telling you that we cannot change it. The letter will provide you with the reasons for this decision
• The letter will tell you if you can appeal against the original decision

If you make an appeal to the council and the council fail to respond, you will be able to appeal to the Council Tax Valuation Tribunal Service in accordance with the Council Tax Appeals Regulations.

What to do if you do not agree with our decision

If you do not agree with the original decision or the outcome of the reconsideration by the Council, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service.

You can only make an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service after you have asked the Council for a reconsideration.

Time limit

You have a maximum of 4 months to apply to the Valuation Tribunal Service. The 4 months start from the date you first wrote to us to advise you were aggrieved by the decision.

How to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service

There are various ways you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service - you can:

Write to the Valuation Tribunal Service:

You can write directly to the Valuation Tribunal Service at the following address:

Council tax reduction team

Hepworth House
2 Trafford Court
Doncaster
Yorks
DN1 1PN

Email: Or you can email the Valuation Tribunal Service

Telephone: on 0300 123 2035

Are there any matters than cannot be subject of an appeal?

Yes there are.

The following specific matters cannot be the subject of an appeal under these provisions:

• the local Council Tax Support scheme provisions as set by the council
• any discretion applied to recover an overpayment of Council Tax Support
• who to recover an overpayment of Council Tax Support from
• suspending or restoring Council Tax Support
• any re-assessment resulting in you not advising us of a change in your circumstances within 21 days of the date of change
• any decision to refuse to grant a reduction under section 13A(1)(b) Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Advice

For independent advice or help with your appeal, you might want to contact an advice agency or organisation such as Boston's Citizens Advice Bureau on 01205 315915 or a solicitor.

Boston Borough Council will not pay any legal fees or travelling expenses relating to the appeal.