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  • Breadcrumb

    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

    When a ratepayer has died

    When a person dies, you might need to look after arrangements for their home. Check the rate bill to see who paid rates on their home. If they paid rates, you might be responsible for telling Land & Property Services (LPS) about the ratepayer's death.

    The deceased person's name is on the rate bill

    If their name is on the rate bill, they were responsible for paying rates. You need to tell LPS about the death so they can update the rates account. You can report a ratepayer's death online.

    • Notification of a ratepayer's death

    The deceased person did not live alone

    When the ratepayer dies, the remaining occupant will usually be responsible for paying rates on the property. If rates Housing Benefit and Rate Relief were paid, LPS will reassess the rates due.

    The deceased person lived alone

    If the deceased person was a ratepayer and the only occupier, their personal representative is responsible for rates on the property. While the personal representative possesses the property, they can apply for exclusion from empty property rates if the property is:

    • empty as no-one is living there
    • unfurnished
    • not used for storage
    • Rating of empty homes

    If the deceased’s name is not on the rate bill

    If the deceased person's name isn't on the rate bill for the property, they weren't liable for paying rates. You need to tell NIHE if the ratepayer in the household received rates Housing Benefit and Rate Relief. 

    • the Housing Benefit helpline: 03448 920 902
    • text relay: 18001 03448 920 902
    • email your local Housing Benefit Unit

    Find your local Housing Benefit Unit

    If you cannot find a recent rate bill, you can contact LPS.

    Help with rates

    When circumstances change, you should check if any rate reliefs and exclusions are available such as:

    • Housing Benefit and Rate Relief for people on a low income
    • Rate Rebate for people getting Universal Credit
    • Lone Pensioner Allowance for ratepayers aged 70 or over
    • Disabled Person's Allowance for ratepayers who adapted their property to accommodate their special needs

    More useful links

    • Help paying your rates
    • Rate Rebate Scheme for people on Universal Credit
    • Disabled Person's Allowance
    • Lone Pensioner Allowance
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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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    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

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

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

    • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

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

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about:

    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

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

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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