New extended ways of paying rent, council tax and other council bills
68,891 Highland Council Tax payers pay their bills by Direct Debit and this is good news for the Council as this is by far the cheapest way for us to collect the tax. We appreciate that not everyone wishes or can pay this way and that is why we are extending the other ways that people can pay – not only your Council Tax, but Council House rent and other Council bills.
From 1 April 2011, you can pay by cash or cheque at any Post Office and more than 300 Paypoints and Payzones throughout the Highlands (see list of outlets within Related Information Section). Please note that some Paypoints/Payzones will only accept cheques at the discretion of the local retailer.
But please be aware that from this date you will NOT be able to pay by cash or cheque at a Service Point, although you will continue to be able to pay by debit or credit card.
As a result of the new arrangements, the HQ cash office on Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, is now closed
Ways to pay
Why not join our 68,891 customers who already pay their Council Tax by Direct Debit?
If you choose to pay by Direct Debit you will receive a bill showing amounts which we will collect from your account safe in the knowledge that a set amount will be collected every period. You give us your details only once, and every year we will do the rest. Paying by Direct Debit means that you won't have to queue to make payments and you won't be in danger of falling into arrears.
To cater for our customers' needs, instalment plans that provide payment breaks in either July and August or December and January are available. Alternatively you may prefer a break in February and March. Our full range of payment options are as follows:
- weekly on a Friday;
- fortnightly on a Friday;
- 10 Monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month from April to January (payment holiday February and March);
- 10 Monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month from April to June and September to March (payment holiday July and August);
- 10 Monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month from April to November and February to March (payment holiday December and January);
- 12 Monthly instalments on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month;
- quarterly instalments on the 1st of the following months: April, July, October and January; or
- 1 lump sum payment on the 1st, 15th or 28th of the month.
Once your Council Tax is paid in full please do not cancel your Direct Debit instruction with your bank as the Council will not debit your account with further instalments until after the start of the next financial year.
If you would like to pay by Direct Debit, please telephone us on freephone 0800 393811. Remember to have your bank account number, sort code and details of the account holder(s) ready. Alternatively, visit any Service Point or complete the Direct Debit mandate, which can be downloaded from the link under the Current Documents section of this page and return it without delay to the Operations Team, The Highland Council, PO Box 5650, Inverness, IV3 5YX.
By paying by Direct Debit, you will be helping us to maintain and where possible to improve the quality and range of services we provide to you.
Other ways to pay include:
- via the Highland Council website's Online Payments
- by Debit or Credit Card - Online, in person at one of our Service Points or by telephoning 0845 602 4232 (Mon-Fri 8am to 6pm, and Sat 9am to 12 noon). Payments by Credit Card will incur a 2% charge;
- by Bank Credit Transfer, Tele-banking or Standing Order. Payment should be made to the Clydesdale Bank, 32 Longman Road, Inverness, IV1 1SD, sort code 82-70-13 for the credit of The Highland Council. If paying by Standing Order, please ensure you set your arrangement up to debit your bank account at least 5 banking days before your instalment is due to the Council;
- at a Post Office, PayPoint and Payzone outlet - you can pay by cash or cheque at any Post Office and more than 300 Paypoints and Payzones throughout the Highlands (please note that some Paypoints/Payzones will only accept cheques at the discretion of the local retailer).
Please Note - All payments to any of the bank accounts must quote the appropriate reference number from the bill or demand notice.
A remittance advice for all payments made must be sent to:
The Director of Finance
The Highland Council
Exchequer Section
PO Box 5650
Inverness
IV3 5YX
or email us at Income.section@highland.gov.uk
Do NOT send personal data to the above email address