telephone-bills-refuse-collection-and-council-tax, Chapter 4
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Everyday Needs
Telephone bills, refuse collection and council tax
Most homes already have a telephone line (called a land line). If you need a new line, telephone BT
on 150 442, or contact a cable company. Many companies offer land line, mobile telephone and
broadband internet services.
You can get advice about prices or about changing your company from Ofcom at www.ofcom.org.uk
You can call from public payphones using cash, pre-paid phonecards or credit or debit cards.
Calls made from hotels and hostels are usually more expensive Dial 999 or 112 for emergency calls
for police, fire or ambulance service. These calls are free. Do not use these numbers if it is not a real
emergency; you can always find the local numbers for these services in the phone book.
Bills
Information on how to pay for water, gas, electricity and the telephone is found on the back of each
bill. If you have a bank account you can pay your bills by standing order or direct debit. Most
companies operate a budget scheme which allows you to pay a fixed sum every month. If you do not
pay a bill, the service can be cut off. To get a service reconnected, you have to pay another charge.
Refuse collection
Refuse is also called waste, or rubbish. The local authority collects the waste regularly, usually on
the same day of each week. Waste must be put outside in a particular place to get collected. In some
parts of the country the waste is put into plastic bags, in others it is put into bins with wheels.
In many places you must recycle your rubbish, separating paper, glass, metal or plastic from the
other rubbish. Large objects which you want to throw away, such as a bed, a wardrobe or a fridge,
need to be collected separately.
Contact the local authority to arrange this. If you have a business, such as a factory or a shop, you
must make special arrangements with the local authority for your waste to be collected. It is a
criminal offence to dump rubbish anywhere.
Council Tax
Local government services, such as education, police, roads, refuse collection and libraries, are paid
for partly by grants from the government and partly by Council Tax. In Northern Ireland there is a
system of domestic rates instead of the Council Tax.
The amount of Council Tax you pay depends on the size and value of your house or flat (dwelling).
You must register to pay Council Tax when you move into a new property, either as the owner or the
tenant You can pay the tax in one payment, in two instalments, or in ten instalments (from April to
January).
If only one person lives in the flat or house, you get a 25% reduction on your Council Tax. (This does
not apply in Northern Ireland). You may also get a reduction if someone in the property has a
disability. People on a low income or who receive benefits such as Income Support or Jobseeker’s
Allowance can get Council Tax Benefit. You can get advice on this from the local authority or the
Citizens Advice Bureau.
Original text from the Government handbook Life in the UK: A jouney to citizenship
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