Council Tax, Business Rates and other services

Council Tax,
Business Rates
and other services
2014/2015
www.bolton.gov.uk

Contents
Leader’s message 3
How your money is spent 4
Your council tax 5
Your business rates 9
Your information 13
Financial information 14
Are you entitled to benefits? 16
Free school meals and clothing grants 19
Fraud 19
Do it online
Back page
Contact us...
For further information about details in this booklet, please contact the following offices:
Council tax
Tel: 01204 331599
Email: council.tax@bolton.gov.uk
Write to: PO Box 32, Bolton BL1 1RX
Business rates
Tel: 01204 331730
Email: business.rates@bolton.gov.uk
Write to: PO Box 32, Bolton BL1 1RX
Benefit fraud
Tel: 01204 333800
Email: investigations@bolton.gov.uk
Write to: Investigations Team,
PO Box 4, Town Hall, Bolton BL1 1RX
National benefit fraud hotline:
0800 328 6340
Benefits, free school meals and
school clothing allowances
Tel: 01204 331590
Email: housing.benefit@bolton.gov.uk
Write to: PO Box 4, Bolton BL1 1RX
Information that we keep about you
Email: freedomofinfo@bolton.gov.uk
Write to: Corporate Information Manager,
Bolton Council, Town Hall, Bolton BL1 1RU
Housing tenancy fraud
Tel: 01204 333800 or 01204 328200
Email: investigations@bolton.gov.uk or
reporthousingfraud@boltonathome.org.uk
Write to: Investigations Team, PO Box 4,
Town Hall, Bolton BL1 1RX
Alternatively, you can visit our website www.bolton.gov.uk
2

Leader’s message
Welcome to this latest guide to council tax,
business rates and the council’s budget.
It explains how council tax is raised, where the council’s
budget comes from, and how money is spent on
providing services for you. You will also find advice
about what to do if you need help with paying your bill
or with your rent.
The government recently announced how much money
it will give to the council for 2014/15 and suggested
how much this would be in the coming years. This
grant makes a significant contribution to the council’s
income along with Business Rates, and Council Tax.
Council Tax is the only part of our budget that we control and so the fall in the grant
has led to the council increasing Council Tax by 1.94% as well as major savings having
to be made. The grants are at the level we assumed in planning for 2014/15 which
requires cutbacks of £21.7m in order to balance the budget. Unlike other organisations
the council can’t borrow to fund its budget so we need to balance how much we
spend with how much we get in.
These cutbacks have already been identified as part of our two year budget that were
agreed last February (2013).
The choices which we have to make in order to find this level of savings are very
difficult, but the council remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable children
and adults; and supporting the local economy.
Despite the challenging economic situation the council is using one off money to
improve Bolton town centre and other areas, and recent announcements by the private
sector show there is strong interest in investing in the town. One off funding has also
been made available to provide additional repairs to both major and residential roads
as well as investing in facilities for young people.
Councillor Cliff Morris
Leader of the Council
3

How your money is spent
No one likes receiving a bill, but it helps if
you know how your money is being spent.
Bolton Council collects your bin of course,
but did you know that the council also
provides a wide range of other services
that we all rely on throughout our lives?
Here are some of the services that
your council tax and business rates
contributes to:
• Emptying your bins
• Recycling
• Keeping Bolton’s streets clean
• Maintaining and repairing roads and
bridges
• Providing libraries and art galleries
• Leisure facilities including swimming
pools, sports centres and parks
• Caring for children, the elderly and
other vulnerable people
• Children’s services, such as schools,
children’s centres, before and after
school clubs and youth services
• Traffic management and road safety
• Making sure that consumers are
protected against dangerous goods
• Registering births, deaths and
marriages
• Housing benefits
• Planning and building control
• Community centres and youth centres
• Helping to regenerate Bolton
Part of the council tax you pay also goes
to Greater Manchester Police and the
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue
Authority to help pay for the police and
fire services. Some money is also paid
out to other organisations such as the
Passenger Transport Authority to help
pay for public transport.
There is more information on how
your money is spent on pages 14 and
15 of this booklet.
Where does the council’s money
come from?
Bolton Council’s net budget requirement
for 2014/15 is £223m. Out of this £92m
or 41% comes from central government
in the form of grants. Your council tax
contributes £89m or 40% and your
business rates contribute £42m or 19%
of the available money we have to spend
on services.
4

Your council tax
Council tax bands
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for setting the bands which are based
on property values at 1 April 1991. Your council tax bill shows which band your
property is in.
Council tax charge 2014/15 and valuation band ranges
Band
Bolton
Charge
Blackrod
Charge
Horwich
Charge
West’ton
Charge
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
£40,000 or less
£40,001 to £52,000
£52,001 to £68,000
£68,001 to £88,000
£88,001 to £120,000
£120,001 to £160,000
£160,001 to £320,000
£320,001 or more
£990.99
£1,156.17
£1,321.33
£1,486.50
£1,816.82
£2,147.16
£2,477.49
£2,973.00
£1,009.82
£1,178.13
£1,346.43
£1,514.74
£1,851.34
£2,187.95
£2,524.56
£3,029.48
£1,008.75
£1,176.89
£1,345.01
£1,513.14
£1,849.38
£2,185.64
£2,521.89
£3,026.28
£1,001.62
£1,168.58
£1,335.51
£1,502.45
£1,836.31
£2,170.20
£2,504.07
£3,004.90
Banding appeals
If you think your band may be wrong, you
can ask the Valuation Office to review it:
Manchester Valuation Office
17th Floor Portland Tower
Portland Street, Manchester M1 3LD
Tel: 03000 501501
Email: ctnorth@voa.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.voa.gov.uk
Please note
You must continue to pay your council tax
bill while you have any banding query or
appeal pending with the Valuation Office.
Further information is available at
www.voa.gov.uk
5

Your council tax continued...
Scam alert
Trading Standards advise caution if you
receive a call from anyone saying you are
in the wrong council tax band or you are
entitled to a refund of council tax. The
caller will charge a fee and some have
given misleading information including
false claims that:
• They are from the council or other
official body
• They are working with the police
• It will cost you more to challenge your
tax band on your own
• The council or VOA will not help you
Remember that:
• Nobody can guarantee you a lower
council tax band
• The vast majority of bandings are
correct
• It’s free to challenge or enquire about
your council tax band
• These companies do little more than
what you can do for yourself for free
If you think you have been misled,
report it to Trading Standards
on 08454 040506.
Charge appeals
If you think that either you or your
property should not be subject to a
council tax charge, you may appeal to the
council tax office.
Discounts for occupied properties
If you have already been awarded a
discount it will show on your bill.
• If you are the only adult (over 18) living
at your address, you can claim a 25%
discount off your bill
• If only one adult living at your address is
counted then a 25% discount can be
claimed
• If none of the adults living at your
address are counted then a 50%
discount can be claimed and in some
cases an exemption may apply - see
Exemptions for occupied properties
• If you have a second home that is
provided under a contract of
employment then a 50% discount can
be claimed
Adults who are not counted
Here are examples of people who are not
counted:
• Full-time students, student nurses,
apprentices and those people under 25
on youth training schemes
• People permanently resident in hospital
or in care homes
• People who are severely mentally
impaired
• Carers - people living with and caring
for someone who is not their spouse,
partner or child under 18
• 18 or 19 year olds who are still at
school or college or have just left
• 18 year olds for whom child benefit is
still being paid
• Members of religious communities,
such as monks or nuns
• People staying in hostels or night
shelters
• People in prison or detention (except
those in prison for non-payment of
council tax or a fine)
Discount for annexes
This is a new 50% discount from 1 April
2014 for annexes that are either being
6

used as part of the main residence or are
occupied by relatives of the person who is
responsible for the council tax on the main
dwelling. Please contact the council tax
office for further details if you think you
may be entitled to this discount.
Reductions for people with
disabilities
If there is a room, extra space or an
additional bathroom or kitchen in your
property that is needed by a disabled
person who lives there, you may get a
reduction in your council tax. This
reduction is the equivalent of your band
being reduced to the one below, or by a
sixth if your property is in a band A.
Exemptions for occupied properties
• Occupied only by people under 18
• Occupied only by people who are fulltime
students or student nurses
• Occupied only by people who are
severely mentally impaired
• Where the property is part of another
property and a dependant relative lives
in it, such as a ‘granny flat’ or annex.
Unoccupied properties
Second homes and properties which
are unoccupied and furnished
There is no discount on these properties
whilst they remain furnished. This means
that a full (100%) charge will be payable.
Unoccupied and unfurnished
properties
The following discounts and charges apply
based on when your property first became
unoccupied and unfurnished:
The first 3 months – a 100% discount
will be given from the date of vacation for a
period of up to 3 months, so there will be
no charge.
After 3 months and up to 6 months –
if the property remains unoccupied and
unfurnished a 25% discount will be given
so the council tax charge will be 75% of
the full charge for the property.
After 6 months and up to 2 years – if
the property remains unoccupied and
unfurnished no discount will be given so
the full council tax charge will payable for
the property.
After 2 years – when the property has
been unoccupied and unfurnished for 2
years then a 50% premium will be payable
on top of the full charge. This will mean
that a 150% charge will be payable.
However, the 50% premium should not be
charged on any property that:
• Would be the sole or main residence of
a person in the armed forces who is
posted away from home; or
• Is an annex to a property that is being
used as part of the main residence of
the main dwelling.
Please contact the council tax office if your
property falls into either of these
categories so that we can cancel any
premium that you have been charged.
Unoccupied and unfurnished
properties that are undergoing or
requiring major repairs or alterations
Where a property requires or is undergoing
7

Your council tax continued...
major repairs or structural alterations, a
discount of 100% for up to 12 months
can be claimed.
Unoccupied properties that are
exempt
• Properties owned by a charity are
exempt for up to six months from
vacation providing that when they were
last occupied they were being used for
the purpose of the charity.
• Properties left empty by someone who
is a permanent resident in a hospital,
residential or nursing home or in
prison/detention
• Properties left empty by someone who
has left to receive care from another
person
• Properties left empty by someone
providing care for another person
• Properties left empty that were last
occupied by a full-time student who is
the owner or leaseholder
• Properties left empty because someone
has died are exempt where probate has
yet to be made and for up to six
months after probate has been granted
• Properties left empty because they
have been repossessed or are the
responsibility of a trustee in bankruptcy
• Properties left empty because
occupation is not allowed by law
• Properties waiting to be occupied by a
minister of religion
Discretionary Reduction Scheme
Discretionary reductions to council tax can
be made if you can show you need extra
help or you are affected by changes to the
council tax support scheme or the
changes made to council tax discounts
and exemptions for unoccupied
8
properties. Please contact the council tax
office if you wish to discuss this.
Changes in circumstances
Please note: You must inform the
council tax office, within 21 days, of any
changes that affect your charge or your
right to a discount, reduction or
exemption. If you fail to do this you may
be required to pay a penalty of £70.
Paying your council tax
You have the choice of paying your
council tax over 10 or 12 months.
We also offer other alternatives such as
weekly, fortnightly and lunar monthly (i.e.
every 4 weeks) instalments by direct
debit, these can be set up on our website
or by telephone.
Please contact the council tax office,
within 14 days of receiving your bill, if you
wish to change the frequency or method
of paying your instalments.
Problems paying
If you are having problems paying your
council tax, please contact us as soon as
possible. We are able to make special
arrangements if you are having financial
difficulties.
If you don’t contact us or pay on time,
further action will be taken which may
lead to additional costs being added to
your account.
Further information can be found on our
website on the council tax - problems
paying page. Alternatively, contact details
for the council tax office can be found on
the back of this leaflet.

Your business rates
Business rates
The non-domestic rates, or business
rates, are the way that those who occupy
non-domestic property contribute towards
the cost of local services. Under the
business rates retention arrangements
introduced from 1 April 2013, authorities
keep a proportion of the business rates
paid locally. This provides a direct financial
incentive for authorities to work with local
businesses to create a favourable local
environment for growth since authorities
will benefit from growth in business rates
revenues. The money, together with
revenue from council tax payers, revenue
support grant provided by the Government
and certain other sums, is used to pay for
the services provided by your local
authority and other local authorities in your
area. Further information about the
business rates system, including
transitional and other reliefs, may be
obtained at www.gov.uk
Rateable value
Apart from properties that are exempt from
business rates, each non-domestic
property has a rateable value which is set
by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an
agency of Her Majesty’s Revenue and
Customs. Their full list of all rateable values
is available on their website at
www.voa.gov.uk. The rateable value of
your property is shown on the front of your
bill. This broadly represents the yearly rent
the property could have been let for on the
open market on a particular date. For the
revaluation that came into effect on 1 April
2010, this date was set as 1 April 2008.
The valuation officer may alter the value if
circumstances change. You (and certain
others who have an interest in the
property) can appeal against the value if
you believe it is wrong. Further information
on how to appeal can be found on the VOA
website or from your local valuation office:
Manchester Valuation Office
17th Floor, 53 Portland Tower
Portland Street
Manchester M1 3LD
Tel: 03000 501501
ratingnorthwest@voa.gsi.gov.uk
National non-domestic
rating multiplier
The council works out the business rates
bill by multiplying the rateable value of the
property by the appropriate multiplier. There
are two multipliers; the standard nondomestic
rating multiplier and the small
business non-domestic rating multiplier.
The former is higher to pay for small
business rate relief. The government sets
the multipliers for each financial year for the
whole of England, according to formulae
set by legislation. Generally, the multipliers
increase in line with inflation according to
the Retail Price Index in September of the
preceding year. For the 2014-15 financial
year, the Government has capped the
increase in the multipliers at 2%.
Between revaluations, the multipliers
change each year in line with inflation and
to take account of the cost of small
business rate relief. In the year of a
revaluation, the multipliers are rebased to
account for overall changes to total
rateable value and to ensure that the
revaluation does not raise extra money for
Government. The current multipliers are
shown on the front of your bill.
Business Rates Instalments
Payment of business rates is usually over
10 monthly instalments. However, from this
year you can now ask for your instalments
to be spread over 12 months to help with
9

Your business rates continued...
cash flow. If you wish to take this up this
offer, please contact the business rates
office.
Revaluation 2010 and
Transitional Arrangements
All rateable values are generally
reassessed every five years at a general
revaluation to ensure bills paid by any one
ratepayer reflect changes over time in the
value of their property relative to others.
The current rating list is based on the 2010
revaluation. The next revaluation will be
postponed until 2017 to provide greater
stability for businesses and to encourage
economic growth. Five yearly revaluations
will continue from 2017. Revaluation does
not raise extra money for Government.
The Government’s Written Ministerial
Statement on the postponement can be
found at the following link: http://www.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm
201213/cmhansrd/cm121112/wmstext
/121112m0001.htm
For those ratepayers who would otherwise
have seen significant increases in their
rates liability, the Government has put in
place a £2 billion transitional relief scheme
to limit and phase in changes in rate bills
as a result of the 2010 revaluation. To help
pay for the limits on increases in bills, there
were also limits on reductions in bills.
Under the transition scheme, limits
continue to apply to yearly increases and
decreases until the full amount is due
(rateable value times the appropriate
multiplier). The scheme applies only to the
bill based on a property at the time of the
revaluation. If there are any changes to the
property after 1 April 2010, transitional
arrangements will not normally apply to the
part of a bill that relates to any increase in
rateable value due to those changes.
Changes to your bill as a result of other
10
reasons (such as because of changes to
the amount of small business rate relief)
are not covered by the transitional
arrangements. The transitional
arrangements are applied automatically
and are shown on the front of your bill.
Empty properties
Business rates is not normally payable in
the first three months that a property is
empty. This is extended to six months in
the case of certain industrial properties.
After this period, rates are payable in full
unless the unoccupied property rate has
been reduced by the government by order.
In most cases, the unoccupied property
rate is zero for properties owned by
charities and community amateur sports
clubs. In addition, there are a number of
exemptions from the unoccupied property
rate. Full details on exemptions can be
obtained from the business rates office.
The Government has introduced a new
temporary measure for unoccupied new
builds from October 2013. Unoccupied
new builds will be exempt from
unoccupied property rates for up to 18
months (up to state aid limits) where the
property comes on to the list between 1
October 2013 and 30 September 2016.
The 18 month period includes the initial 3
or 6 month exemption and so properties
may, if unoccupied, be exempt from nondomestic
rates for up to an extra 15 or 12
months.
Partly occupied property relief
A ratepayer is liable for the full nondomestic
rate whether a property is wholly
occupied or only partly occupied.
However, where a property is partly
occupied for a short time, the local
authority has discretion in certain cases to
award relief in respect of the unoccupied

part. Full details can be obtained from the
business rates office.
Small business rate relief
Ratepayers who are not entitled to another
mandatory relief or are liable for
unoccupied property rates and occupy a
property with a rateable value of less than
£18,000 will have their bills calculated
using the lower small business nondomestic
rating multiplier.
In addition, if the sole or main property is
shown on the rating list with a rateable
value of £12,000 or below, the ratepayer
will receive a percentage reduction in their
rates bill for this property. The maximum
reduction is 50% for a property with a
rateable value of not more than £6,000.
However, until 31 March 2015 the
Government has doubled the usual level of
relief.
This reduction/relief is available to
ratepayers who occupy either:
(a) one property, or
(b) one main property and other additional
properties providing those additional
properties each have a rateable value of
less than £2,600.
The rateable value of the property
mentioned in (a), or the aggregate rateable
value of all the properties mentioned in (b),
must be under £18,000 on each day for
which relief is being sought. If the rateable
value, or aggregate rateable value,
increases above those levels, relief will
cease from the day of the increase.
However, the Government has introduced
additional support to small businesses. For
those businesses that take on an
additional property which would normally
have meant the loss of small business rate
relief, the Government has confirmed that
they will be allowed to keep that relief for a
period of 12 months.
An application for Small Business Rate
Relief is not always required. If you think
that you meet the eligibility criteria and you
have not received the relief then contact
the business rates office. Provided the
ratepayer continues to satisfy the
conditions for relief which apply at the
relevant time as regards the property and
the ratepayer, they will automatically
continue to receive relief in each new
valuation period.
Certain changes in circumstances will
need to be notified to the local authority by
the ratepayer (other changes will be
picked up by the local authority). The
changes which must be notified are:
(a) the ratepayer taking up occupation of
an additional property, and
(b) an increase in the rateable value of a
property occupied by the ratepayer in
an area other than the area of the local
authority which granted the relief.
Full details on the eligibility criteria and on
how to apply for this relief are available
from the business rates office.
Charity and Community Amateur
Sports Club (CASC) relief
Charities and registered CASCs are
entitled to 80% relief where the property is
occupied by the charity or the club, and is
wholly or mainly used for the charitable
purposes of the charity (or of that and
other charities), or for the purposes of the
club (or of that and other CASCs).
The local authority has discretion to give
further relief on the remaining bill. Full
details can be obtained from the business
rates office.
11

Your business rates continued...
Local Discounts
Local authorities have a general power to
grant discretionary local discounts. Full
details can be obtained from the business
rates office.
Retail Discounts
The Government is giving funding to local
authorities so that they can provide a
discount worth up to £1,000 a year, in both
2014-15 and 2015-16, to retail premises
with a rateable value of up to £50,000. This
will provide support to premises including
pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops.
The Government is also giving funding to
local authorities so that they can provide a
50% discount for 18 months for those
businesses that move into retail premises
that have been empty for a year or more.
This is available for businesses which move
into empty premises between 1 April 2014
and 31 March 2016.
The award of such discounts is considered
likely to amount to state aid. However it will
be state aid compliant where it is provided
in accordance with the De Minimis
Regulations (1407/2013). The De Minimis
Regulations allow an undertaking to receive
up to €200,000 ‘de minimis’ aid over a
rolling three year period. If you are
receiving, or have received, any ‘de
minimis’ aid granted during the current or
two previous financial years (from any
source), you should inform the local
authority immediately with details of the aid
received. Full details can be obtained from
the business rates office.
Hardship relief
The local authority has discretion to give
hardship relief in specific circumstances.
Full details can be obtained from the
business rates office.
12
Cancellation of backdated
rates liabilities
The Government has put in place
regulations to allow for the cancellation of
certain backdated business rates liabilities.
The relevant regulations, the Non-
Domestic Rating (Cancellation of
Backdated Liabilities) Regulations 2012 (SI
2012/ 537), can be found on the
www.legislation.gov.uk website.
Information on the type of backdated rates
liability that can be cancelled is available
with Business Rates Information Letter
titled Cancellation of Backdated Rates:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uplo
ads/system/uploads/attachment_data
/file/8187/Business_Rates_Informatio
n_Letter_4-2012.pdf
Rating advisers
Ratepayers do not have to be represented
in discussions about their rateable value or
their rates bill. Appeals against rateable
values can be made free of charge.
However, ratepayers who do wish to be
represented should be aware that
members of the Royal Institution of
Chartered Surveyors (RICS – website:
www.rics.org) and the Institute of
Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV –
website: www.irrv.net) are qualified and are
regulated by rules of professional conduct
designed to protect the public from
misconduct. Before you employ a rating
adviser, you should check that they have
the necessary knowledge and expertise,
as well as appropriate indemnity
insurance. Take great care and, if
necessary, seek further advice before
entering into any contract.

Your information
Data protection
In order to operate efficiently, Bolton
Council has to collect and use information
about people we provide services to, and
others we have contact with. These may
include members of the public, current,
past and prospective employees, clients
and customers, and suppliers. We may
share information you provide to us, such
as council tax and benefits data, within
the council and with government bodies
and other authorities, where it is
necessary and the law allows it, to ensure
better service delivery, and to meet legal
obligations.
This personal information must be
handled and dealt with properly, however
it is collected, recorded and used, and
whether it be on paper, in computer
records or recorded by any other means,
and there are safeguards within the
council to ensure this.
Bolton Council regards the lawful and
correct treatment of personal information
as very important to its successful
operations and to maintaining confidence
between the council and those with
whom it carries out business. The council
will ensure that it treats personal
information lawfully and correctly.
Bolton Council promises to process your
personal data in accordance with the
Data Protection Act 1998 and other
relevant legislation.
To find out more about the council’s
commitment and how we process your
personal data and keep it secure visit the
councils website www.bolton.gov.uk,
email: freedomofinfo@bolton.gov.uk
or contact:
Corporate Information Manager,
Corporate Information Unit, Bolton
Council, 3rd Floor, The Wellsprings,
Bolton BL1 1US
For more information about data
protection contact:
Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Tel: 01625 545745
Website: www.ico.gov.uk
Individual Electoral Registration
Individual Electoral Registration (IER) is the
voter registration system which will take
effect from 10 June 2014.
As part of the transition to IER the
Council’s Electoral Registration Officer is
now required to send Electoral Register
data to the Department of Work and
Pensions (DWP) to match the electoral
register against data held by the DWP.
Information regarding IER will be sent to all
electors in July 2014.
13

Financial information
Reasons for the decrease in Bolton’s net budget requirement
Inflation pressures
£m £m
Adult Services 1.2
Children’s Services 0.9
Environmental Services 0.5
Development and Regeneration 0.2
Housing 0.1
Central including transport and waste disposal levies 2.7
Capital financing 0.0
Total 5.6
Demand pressures
Adult Services 0.7
Children’s Services 0.2
Environmental Services 0.3
Development and Regeneration 0.0
Housing 0.0
Central including transport and waste disposal levies 1.8
Capital financing 0.8
Total 3.8
Inflation and demand pressures 9.4
Savings
Adult Services -2.5
Children’s Services -2.7
Environmental Services -3.4
Development and Regeneration -1.2
Housing -0.2
Central including transport and waste disposal levies -10.9
Capital financing -0.8
Total -21.7
Total decrease -12.3
14

How the council tax has changed £m
2013-14 Band D council tax £1,459.24
Equivalent number of Band D properties 69,053
Band D council tax multiplied by number of properties equals:
Total council tax levy 2013-14 100.8
2014-15 net budget requirement
Gross
Expenditure
£m
Net budget
2014-15
£m
Change from
2013-14
£m
Adult Services 113.5 70.1 -0.6
Children’s Services 305.6 52.4 -1.6
Environmental Services 79.4 27.7 -2.6
Development and Regeneration 13.3 7.6 -1.0
Housing 6.7 2.2 -0.1
Central including transport and 196.6 66.0 -6.4
waste disposal levies
Capital financing 11.4 11.4 0.0
726.5 237.4
Total decrease in net budget requirement -12.3
2014-15 External finance
Revenue support grant and business rates top up 92.2 -15.8
Retained business rates 41.9 1.0
Total decrease in external finance 134.1 -14.8
Precept for Bolton Council 88.3 2.3
Other precepts
Greater Manchester Police Authority 10.5 0.2
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority 4.0 0.0
Collection Fund Surplus 0.5 0.0
Total decrease in precepts 2.5
Total council tax levy 2014-15 103.3
Equivalent number of Band D properties 69,162
Total council tax levy by number of properties equals:
Band D council tax 2014-15 1,486.50
Precept
Band D
equivalent
council tax
Parish precepts - an additional charge for 2014-15:
Blackrod 49,900 28.24
Horwich 185,386 26.64
Westhoughton 129,049 15.95
For comparison the 2013-14 parish precepts were:
Blackrod 49,000 27.90
Horwich 184,386 26.63
Westhoughton 129,049 16.00

Are you entitled to benefits?
Local Council Tax Support
You can apply for Council Tax Support if
you are in receipt of state benefits and also
if you are on a low income.
If you pay council tax why not find out if
you can get a reduction based on your
circumstances? You can get a
personalised calculation using the online
calculator at www.bolton.gov.uk/
benefitscalculator
Housing Benefit / Local Housing
Allowance (LHA)
If you rent your home, you may be able to
claim housing benefit to help with your
rent. However, if you live in privately rented
property you will need to claim local
housing allowance. There is more
information about local housing allowance
on our website at www.bolton.gov.uk
Savings and capital up to £6,000 (£10,000
for those of pension age) are ignored,
anything above this could affect
entitlement to benefit, and if you have over
£16,000 you will not normally qualify.
When calculating council tax support,
housing benefit and local housing
allowance, we look at your circumstances
which may include:
• Your income
• Your savings and capital
• The size of your home
• The amount of your rent
• Other people who live with you
If you are not sure if you will qualify, either
contact the housing benefit service (see
page 2) or you can get a personalised
calculation using the online calculator at
www.bolton.gov.uk/benefitscalculator
Discretionary Housing Payments
Discretionary housing payments can top
up benefit awards. They are awarded for
limited periods and are for people who
already get housing benefit or local
housing allowance who are struggling
financially. If you need an application form
please wee our website at
www.bolton.gov.uk
Discretionary Council Tax
Reduction Scheme
A discretionary reduction may be awarded
where you are struggling to pay your
Council Tax. Anyone can apply whether
you are in receipt of benefits or working.
The scheme is designed to offer short
term help to those customers who are
struggling financially. Every application will
be considered individually, if you wish to
apply for this, please complete the
application form available on our website
at www.bolton.gov.uk
Home visits
The Benefits Service has a dedicated team
who can visit people in their own homes.
A visiting service is provided to:
• Residents over the age of 60
• Residents with a disability
• Residents who are vulnerable
The team offer advice on and complete
application forms on a range of benefits,
to find out more contact us (see page 2) if
you would like to request a home visit.
16

The Welfare Reform Act has
introduced a number of changes
which will affect housing benefit and
council tax benefit.
Changes to Local Housing Allowance
(LHA) From April 2013
From 1 January 2013, customers will no
longer have a LHA anniversary date. At
the moment the anniversary date can
differ for each customer depending when
your claim for housing benefit was made.
This change means that all LHA claims will
be reviewed on 1 April each year (or the
first Monday following this date if your rent
is charged weekly).
Increases and decreases in rent for
LHA customers
From April 2013 we will be able to revise
your LHA amount if you have a change to
your rent. At present, changes to your rent
are ignored until you reach your LHA
anniversary date.
For more information please see the
housing benefits pages on our website
www.bolton.gov.uk
Under occupancy in social housing
In April 2013 there were changes to the
way your housing benefit is calculated if
you live in accommodation rented to you
by a local authority, registered housing
association or other registered social
landlord.
A 14% reduction will be made to your
eligible rent if you under occupy your
home by one bedroom and a 25%
reduction for two bedrooms or more. The
new rules will allow you one bedroom for:
• every adult couple (married or
unmarried)
• any other adult aged 16 or over
• any two children of the same sex aged
under 16
• any two children aged under 10
• any other child (other than a foster child
or child whose main home is elsewhere)
• a carer (or team of carers) who do not
live with you but provide you or your
partner with overnight care
There are certain circumstances where the
size limit rules will not be applied:
• State pension credit age – If you are
over state pension credit age or have a
partner over state pension credit age
• Temporary accommodation – If you
have been accepted as homeless under
homelessness legislation of the Housing
Act 1996 and placed in temporary
accommodation by the local authority
• Shared ownership – If you part
own/part rent your home
• Supported “exempt”
accommodation – If you live in a
property run by housing associations or
charities which provide care/support or
supervision.
For more information please see the
housing benefits pages on our website
www.bolton.gov.uk
Household benefit cap
From September 2013 the Government
put a limit on the total amount of benefit
that working age people can receive.
17

Are you entitled to benefits?
continued...
This means that households claiming out
of work benefits will no longer receive
more in benefits than the average wage
paid to those who are working.
Total benefit payable will be limited to a
maximum of £500 each week for couples
and lone parents and £350 for single
people, though entitlement to certain other
benefits may exempt you from the
household benefit cap.
• They receive information about a change
in care or mobility needs on or after 28
October
• Their fixed term award is due to expire
on or after 17 March 2014
• Children turn 16 years old on or after 7
October 2013 (unless they have been
awarded DLA under the Special Rules
for terminally ill people) or
• An existing DLA claimant wishes to
claim PIP instead of their DLA.
Local authorities will be responsible for
applying the household benefit cap to new
and existing claims, through housing
benefit reductions.
For more information please see the
housing benefits pages on our website
www.bolton.gov.uk, where there is a link
for you to use to see if you are affected by
the benefit cap. To use this tool you will
need to know the weekly award for each
benefit or allowance that you and any
member of your household receives
Other welfare benefit changes
Personal Independence Payments
As part of the Governments wider welfare
reform, Personal Independence Payment
(PIP) has replaced Disability Living
Allowance (DLA) for people who were
aged 16 to 64 on 8 April 2013 or reach
age 16 after that date. This was initially for
new claims only.
From 28 October 2013, they started
inviting individuals if:
From 13 January 2014, they will extend the
areas where they are inviting existing DLA
claimants to claim PIP (under the
circumstances described above) to cover
the North East. To find out more contact us
(see page 2) or visit www.gov.uk
Universal Credit
From April 2013 the DWP started to
introduce Universal Credit to claimants
within certain areas of North West England.
This pathfinder stage was part of the
stepped approach before implementing it
fully across the country.
At this time, eligibility to claim Universal
Credit depends on where you live and your
personal circumstances.
They plan to make Universal Credit
available in each part of Great Britain
during 2016. New claims to existing
benefits, which Universal Credit is
replacing, will then cease, with the vast
majority of claimants moving onto Universal
Credit during 2016 and 2017.
18

Free school meals and
clothing allowance
What are free school meals?
They are school dinners for children
between the ages of 4 and 16 who attend
full time school. They may also be awarded
to some children outside this age range
who attend full time school or nursery.
What is School Clothing Allowance?
It is a benefit paid to help meet the cost of
essential school clothing for children who
attend full time school in years 7 and 9.
document showing that you are getting
one of the above qualifying benefits.
You do not need to make a separate
claim if you are already getting or have
applied for Housing Benefit / Council Tax
Benefit or Free School Meals. We will use
the information and evidence you have
already provided to confirm your
entitlement. For more information contact
the housing benefit service (see page 2).
Do I qualify?
To qualify you or your partner must be
getting one of the following:
• Income Support
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income Related Employment and
Support Allowance
• Guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Support under part VI of the Immigration
and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit only (without Working
Tax Credit) and have an annual income
of less than £16,190.
• Universal Credit
What evidence is required and how
do I apply?
You need to provide an up to date
Fraud
Bolton Council has a dedicated benefit
fraud investigation team, committed to
the prevention, detection and deterrence
of fraudulent claims.
Report those you suspect are committing
Housing Benefit/Council Tax Support
How much School Clothing
Allowance will I get?
The amount you may receive depends on
which school year the child is in. For year
7 children it is £30.00 and for year 9 it is
£25.00.
Please note that these are not
payable in respect of children who
attend private schools.
From September 2014 the Government
has confirmed that all pupils in
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state
funded schools will be eligible to have a
free school meal. This will be called a
Universal Free School Meal.
fraud to the Bolton Council on 01204
333800 or visit www.bolton.gov.uk
Please provide as much information and
detail as possible. Bolton Council takes all
allegations of fraud seriously.
19

Do it online… www.bolton.gov.uk/doitonline
For the services included in this booklet, here’s what you can now do online on
our website:
Council tax
• Make payments
• Register to view your account online -
see bills, other notices, payments and
balances
• Set up or amend a direct debit
• Request e-billing
• Search for a council tax band
• Report a change of address
• Download application forms for
discounts and exemptions
Benefits
• Check whether you are entitled to
housing benefit or council tax support
and make a claim online
• Register to view your account online -
see notifications, details of claims and
payment amounts
• Report a change in circumstances
• Make payments for housing benefit
overpayments
• Request a form
• Request assistance to challenge or
appeal a benefit decision
• Request help under the local welfare
provision scheme
• Landlords can view tenant’s details
online (where housing benefit is paid
direct) - see notifications, payment
details and export payment schedules.
• Landlords can report a tenant moving in
or out
Business rates
• Make payments
• Register to view your account online -
see bills, other notices, payments and
balances
• Set up or amend a direct debit
• Request e-billing
• Search for rateable values
You can also find further information and
forms on the Council Tax, Business Rates
and Benefits pages on our website.
Large print, interpretation, text only
and audio formats of this document
can be arranged on request.
Tel: 01204 333333
Email: council.tax@bolton.gov.uk
Web: www.bolton.gov.uk
Published March 2014 by Bolton Council