With the delivery of Council Tax bills for 2017/18 to all households this week, the Isle of Wight Council’s website has been updated to ensure that the process for residents to find the information and undertake any tasks they need to, is even better.
Last year, 63% more resident enquiries to the Isle of Wight Council were undertaken online at www.iwight.com; this includes many online tasks, such as paying bills and making requests for service.
Residents can now also register for paperless billing or ‘e-billing’, to request that, next year, they receive their annual council tax bill by email; saving time and paper. Residents can complete the short form online, giving their name and council tax reference number (which is printed on the 2017/18 bill). All council tax services can easily be accessed using the quick link www.iwight.com/counciltax.
Online council tax tasks include:
- Set up a direct debit
- Pay your bill
- View your outstanding balance
- Register for paperless billing
- Apply for housing benefit and council tax support
- Change your address
- View information about discounts, exemptions and other common queries.
The full council tax information leaflet for 2017/18, including details of how and where money is collected from and spent within the council’s budget, is also available online.
Councillor Stuart Hutchinson, Executive member for resources, said:
“The council’s website provides a quicker, easier, more flexible service to Islanders, at a time and location that works for them.
“I’m really pleased that people will have the option to receive their bills electronically next year – I’ve already signed up for paperless billing. We know that people like to have the option to manage their finances online, these days; over 43,000 Island households are already using automated services to pay for their council tax through direct debit, so the introduction of paperless billing will help even more people who chose to, to manage their finances online. And ultimately, this innovation for council tax and other billing services will reduce postage and printing costs.
Article continues below this advertisement “There is a lot of information contained within the council tax bill, so I would encourage people to read the back page thoroughly or go online for more information.”
