How to pay your Business Rates

How to pay your bill

Business Rates is usually paid in 10 monthly instalments. However the Council will allow you to pay over a maximum of 12 monthly instalments, with the last instalment due in March. If you wish to use this option please fill out the pay in 12 monthly instalments form. The actual number of instalments you are allowed will depend on when you actually make your application and when it is processed.

In accordance with legislation, the instalments on your demand include only the amount payable for the current year. Please note that any unpaid arrears from previous years are not included in your instalments. Payments must be made in accordance with previous instructions.

Payment method options

Direct Debit

The Council prefers this method whenever possible because it is a very efficient way of paying and keeps down costs. As a Direct Debit operator, the Council guarantees that:

• It will always give you at least 14 days’ notice of any change in the amounts or dates of payments.
• You can cancel a Direct Debit any time. Simply advise your Bank or Building Society.
• Any payment that breaks the rules of the Direct Debit Scheme will be refunded immediately by your Bank or Building Society.

To pay by Direct Debit, you can sign in to ‘My Account’ and complete a Direct Debit mandate.

Not all Bank or Building Society accounts are suitable for Direct Debit. Please check with your Bank or Building Society.

By Telephone

You can make payments using your debit or credit card by calling 0151 934 4697 and selecting option 4. Please have your Business Rates account number to hand.

Via the Internet

Use this secure link to make a payment. Please ensure that you select Business Rates from the list on the left-hand side of the page.

By Cash/Cheque/Debit Card/Credit Card

Payments can be made at the Council’s One Stop Shop, Stanley Road, Bootle or by post to Sefton Council, PO Box 33, Bootle, L20 3SX. Cheques should be made payable to Sefton MBC. Please quote your account number on the reverse of the cheque.
 
All major credit cards accepted except American Express, Diners Card and Electron.

Direct Bank Transfer, Internet banking or Standing Order

Please remember to quote your Business Rates account number as your reference and allow 5 days for your payment to be credited to your Business Rates account.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Always ensure payment reaches the Council by the due date shown on your demand. If the payment does not reach us, the instalment facility will be withdrawn and the whole of the balance will become due. This could incur additional costs for you.

• Allow 5 days when paying at a Bank, Post Office or via the Internet, for payment to reach the Council in time.
• If payment is made in cash always obtain a receipt. Never send cash through the post.
• Always produce your demand when making payments at the Council’s Payment Office.

If you are having difficulties or are unsure about how to make a payment, please contact the Business Rates Team by email at business.rates@sefton.gov.uk or by phone on 0151 934 4360 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 4pm.

How we allocate your payments

To make sure your payments are allocated correctly to your Business Rates account, it is important that you pay the exact instalment amount due (together with any legal costs shown where relevant).

If you have a separate arrangement for outstanding arrears on your account, you must pay the exact amount that has been requested in order to make sure that your payment is allocated correctly.

The Council’s software has built-in allocation rules to determine where a payment is posted when there are debts for more than one year.

Payments will be allocated as follows: -

• An amount equal to an instalment on your current years bill will be allocated to that instalment.
• An amount that is equal to multiple instalments on your current bill will be allocated to the current year’s balance due. For example, you have £200 arrears for a previous year’s charge and the instalments for the current year are £100 per month. If you make a payment of £200 it will be allocated to the current year not the outstanding arrears.
• The oldest outstanding debt if the payment does not match an instalment.
• If your current instalments are up to date but you still have outstanding arrears from a previous year, the above rules will still be applied when any additional payments are made that match future instalment dates.

If you are paying an amount towards arrears for a particular year, you should advise the Council when making the payment which debt you want the payment allocated to.