How to pay your council tax:
There are a number of ways you can pay your council tax:

• by Direct Debit. On the 2nd of the month, or the nearest working day if the 2nd falls on a weekend or Bank Holiday. An added bonus is that the Council does all of the work for you! See below.
  online using our payments system
• by telephone. On the 2nd of the month, by ‘phone on 01483 444455 using your debit/credit card. An additional fee is charged for all credit card payments
• in banks
• in Post Offices (subject to a fee)
• in building societies
• by Standing Order - The council's bank is HSBC and you should quote your council tax account number. The sort code is 40-22-26 and bank account number 21850652
• at the council's cash office. On the 2nd of the month, or the nearest working day, either by cash, cheque, debit or credit card
• by post.  By sending your cheque, made payable to Guildford Borough Council, by first class post no later than the 28th of the preceding month, or 5 days before the due date. Please write your Council Tax account number on the back of the cheque. It is not advisable to send cash through the post Please see page 4 for our address
• by debit card

Council Tax is payable in accordance with the statutory instalment scheme. It is payable in 10 instalments due on or before the 2nd of each month from April through to January. If you choose to pay your Council Tax half yearly, instalments are due on or before 2nd April and 2nd September. If you decide to pay annually, the full sum is due on the 2nd April.

Find out how you to reduce the amount you pay.

The council's preferred methods of payment are Direct Debit and debit card.

You can download the Direct debit form [PDF] (25k) to print and return to the council using the address below.

As part of a continuous campaign to keep charges as low as possible, Guildford Borough Council would like to thank each of the residents who currently pay their council tax by direct debit, the most cost effective means of payment available.

These residents have not only recognised the many advantages offered by the direct debit scheme (for example it is the only payment scheme offering a guaranteed refund in the unlikely event of an error) but have helped contribute to the lowest cost of council tax collection in Surrey, and one of the lowest in the country.

To help keep these costs (and your council tax) low and avoid the extra expense of setting up new payment arrangements at the beginning of the next financial year, it is important that the current instructions are not cancelled when the final instalment has been collected this year.

If you would like further details about the direct debit scheme please telephone the council tax helpline during normal office hours on 01483 444864.

Environmental considerations
It is also important to reflect on the difference that a direct debit payment will have on the environment.

Over 80,000 pieces of A4 paper are issued to non-direct debit payers at annual billing time and another 50,000 throughout the year. You can save money and help the environment by paying by direct debit.

Council Tax Section
Revenue and Benefit Services
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
GU2 4BB

Tel: 01483 444864
Email: ctax@guildford.gov.uk