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    1. Home
    2. Property and housing
    3. A guide to rates
    4. Your rate bill
    Colour banner for pages about paying rates on your home
    Banner on a guide to rates pages

    Getting a rates refund

    You could get a rates refund if your circumstances change and you overpaid rates on the property you live in. You don’t apply for a rates refund but you need to tell Land & Property Services (LPS) when your circumstances changed. They’ll decide if you’re due a refund.

    Reasons for a rates refund

    You might be entitled to a refund for different reasons. For example, if you paid full rates early and during the same rating year:

    • you sold the property
    • you moved to a different rented property
    • you’re eligible for rate relief to help pay your rates
    • you paid more than the rates due
    • your rates assessment reduced because your property valuation decreased

    Getting help to pay your rates

    You could get a rates refund if you paid rates while awaiting a decision about an application for:

    • Rate Rebate
    • Housing Benefit and Rate Relief
    • Disabled Person’s Allowance
    • Lone Pensioner Allowance
    • Rating of Empty Home exclusions

    Reporting a change in circumstances

    You don’t apply for a rates refund but you need to tell LPS about any changes that could affect your rates assessment.

    If you receive Housing Benefit and Rate Relief, you’ll need to tell LPS if your circumstances change.

    • Change of circumstances and suitable evidence

    If you get Rate Rebate, you’ll need to tell LPS about changes in your circumstances:

    • Report a change in circumstances for Rate Rebate

    If your home address changes, you can report the change online.

    • Create or update your rate account

    How a refund is paid

    If you pay your rates by Direct Debit, you will usually get the refund paid direct to your bank account.

    If you do not pay by Direct Debit you will receive a refund cheque. LPS will send the cheque to the address where you paid the rate bill. If you’ve moved and give LPS your new address, they’ll send the refund to the new address.

    You can ask LPS to transfer the amount they owe you to the rate bill for your new address. You can do this online.

    • Create or update your rate account

    If you need more information about getting a refund or to change how your refund is paid, contact LPS:

    • telephone 0300 200 7801

    More useful links

    • Rate Rebate Scheme for people on Universal Credit
    • Pay your rates online
    • Set up a Direct Debit online for rates
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    Your rate bill

    • Calculate your estimated rate bill
    • Complaining to Land & Property Services
    • Getting a rates refund
    • How rate bills are calculated
    • Introducing your rate bill
    • Make changes online to a landlord rate account
    • Make changes to your rate account
    • Occupying and leaving a property
    • Properties you pay rates on
    • Rating of empty homes
    • Request a copy of your rate bill
    • Sign up for rates
    • What happens if you can't pay your rates
    • What happens if you don't pay your rates
    • What rates pay for
    • When a ratepayer has died
    • When you think your rate bill is too high

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    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

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    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

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