Most home owners and tenants in Northern Ireland have to pay rates. Rates are a government tax that is used to help fund both local and public services.

Your rate bill is calculated and collected by Land and Property Services. They will send it to you annually by post and you can pay it in full or by monthly instalments.

Failure to pay rates can lead to fines or even imprisonment, or the loss of your home. If you are in financial difficulties and cannot pay your rate bill, seek professional housing or debt advice.

Overview of rates

Rates are a property tax based on the capital value of your home. The government uses rates to help pay for services such as education, roads and housing. Your local council uses rates to help pay for local services such as refuse collection and leisure centres. More

How are rates calculated?

Important changes were made to the way rates are calculated in April 2007. These changes will affect your bill. More

Help with paying your rates

It is sometimes possible to get help to pay your rate bill without having to apply. This is known as 'automatic rate relief' and is a result of the 2007 changes to the way rates are calculated. More

Other ways to get reliefs

Not all rate relief is automatic. There is a series of benefits, relief schemes and allowances available to those who do not qualify for automatic help. More

Appealing the capital value

If you think the capital value of your home is incorrect, you can appeal. You must continue to pay any outstanding rate bill while your appeal is under consideration. If your appeal is successful, Land and Property Services will set a new rate bill for you and refund the difference.   More

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