Local government

Sign up for updates to this topic page

On this page

Services

1. Check your Council Tax band

   Find out the Council Tax band for a property in England, Scotland or Wales by looking up the property's postcode online

2. Find and check your business rates valuation

   How to check the rateable value of your business property - compare it with other properties, request changes to your valuation and challenge the business rates you've been charged

3. Council Tax

   Your Council Tax bill - how to work it out, who has to pay, discounts and exemptions for students and disabled people, second homes, empty properties, paying the bill

4. Pay your Council Tax

   Pay Council Tax online or by other methods, like direct debit to your local council

5. Apply for Council Tax Reduction

   Apply to your local council for Council Tax Reduction if you're on a low income or benefits - this has replaced Council Tax Benefit

See more services in this topic

Guidance and regulation

1. Start paying Council Tax
   • Detailed guide
   • 22 January 2016
   • Valuation Office Agency
2. How domestic properties are assessed for Council Tax bands
   • Detailed guide
   • 26 January 2017
   • Valuation Office Agency
3. How to check and challenge your rateable value
   • Detailed guide
   • 3 December 2018
   • Valuation Office Agency
4. Traffic signs manual
   • Guidance
   • 23 February 2017
   • Department for Transport
5. How non-domestic (business) properties are valued
   • Detailed guide
   • 1 April 2017
   • Valuation Office Agency

See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

20 February 2019 — Press release

Local authorities with major ports to receive funding boost to help with Brexit preparations

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

1. EU Exit Local Government Delivery Board: January 2019 update
   • 8 February 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Press release
2. James Brokenshire confirms funding package for local authorities in 2019 to 2020
   • 5 February 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Press release
3. MHCLG EU Exit local information sharing
   • 5 February 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Press release
4. Local Plan intervention: Secretary of State letters to local authorities
   • 4 February 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Correspondence

See more news and communications in this topic

Research and statistics

1. Live tables on local government finance
   • 20 February 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Statistical data set
2. National non-domestic rates collected by councils in England: forecast for 2019 to 2020
   • 13 February 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Official statistics
3. National non-domestic rates collected by councils in England: 2017 to 2018
   • 29 January 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Official statistics
4. Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2017 to 2018 individual local authority data - outturn
   • 15 November 2018
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • National statistics
5. Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2017 to 2018 final outturn
   • 15 November 2018
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • National statistics

See more research and statistics in this topic

Policy papers and consultations

1. Local Government Pension Scheme: Fair Deal – strengthening pension protection
   • 10 January 2019
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Open consultation
   • Closing date 04 April 2019
2. Local government pension scheme: technical amendments to benefits
   • 18 December 2018
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Consultation outcome
   • Date closed 29 November 2018
3. Business rates retention reform
   • 13 December 2018
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Open consultation
   • Closing date 21 February 2019
4. The proposed reorganisation of local government in Northamptonshire
   • 29 November 2018
   • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
   • Closed consultation
   • Date closed 25 January 2019
5. How to reimburse bus operators for concessionary travel
   • 26 November 2018
   • Department for Transport
   • Policy paper

See more policy papers and consultations in this topic

Transparency and freedom of information releases

1. Traffic Commissioners: annual report 2017 to 2018
   • 3 January 2019
   • Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
   • Corporate report
2. Traffic Commissioners: register of interests, April 2015 to March 2016
   • 2 August 2018
   • Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
   • Transparency
3. Deputy Traffic Commissioners: spending April 2014 to March 2015
   • 2 August 2018
   • Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
   • Transparency
4. Traffic Commissioners: salaries, April 2015 to March 2016
   • 2 August 2018
   • Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
   • Transparency
5. Traffic Commissioners: register of interests April 2017 to March 2018
   • 2 August 2018
   • Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain
   • Transparency

See more transparency and freedom of information releases in this topic

Organisations

1. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
2. Department for Transport
3. Valuation Office Agency
4. HM Treasury
5. Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain

Show more organisations

1. Foreign & Commonwealth Office
2. Ministry of Defence
3. Cabinet Office
4. Department for Education
5. Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
6. Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
7. HM Courts & Tribunals Service
8. Home Office
9. Department of Health & Social Care
10. Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
11. Ministry of Justice
12. Public Health England
13. HM Revenue & Customs
14. Department for Work & Pensions
15. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
16. Government Actuary's Department
17. Office for Product Safety & Standards
18. Office for Low Emission Vehicles
19. Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Swyddfa Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru
20. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
21. Committee on Standards in Public Life
22. Disclosure & Barring Service
23. Government Digital Service
24. Maritime & Coastguard Agency
25. Northern Ireland Office
26. Bona Vacantia
27. Government Legal Department
28. Office of the Public Guardian
29. Academy for Social Justice Commissioning
30. Armed Forces' Pay Review Body
31. Crown Commercial Service
32. Government Equalities Office
33. Lammy Review
34. Marine Management Organisation
35. Office for Civil Society
36. The Oil and Pipelines Agency
37. Planning Inspectorate
38. Office of the Leader of the House of Commons

1. Defence Infrastructure Organisation
2. Innovate UK
3. High Speed Two (HS2) Limited
4. Biometrics Commissioner
5. National Probation Service
6. Social Security Advisory Committee
7. British Hallmarking Council
8. Competition and Markets Authority
9. Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
10. Environment Agency
11. Highways England
12. HM Land Registry
13. Ofsted
14. Single Source Regulations Office

Explore sub-topics

1. Business rates
2. Council Tax
3. Councils and elections
4. Data collection and reporting
5. Local Housing Allowance
6. Local government finance and capital assets
7. Local government pensions