Council Tax bills explained

We have issued the 2025-26 Council Tax bills. If you use the Cheshire East Account online service to view your bills, you will receive an email notification to let you know when your annual bill is available. We expect this to be between 14-17 March 2025.

This page should help with your queries regarding Council Tax annual billing. If you have a query about your bill that cannot be answered on our web pages contact the Council Tax team.

Check your Council Tax account and bill online - Cheshire East online account service

What you need to do if you already pay by Direct Debit

Nothing. Your Direct Debit details will automatically carry over to your new bill and we will collect your new instalments on the dates shown on your annual bill.

Setting up a Direct Debit to pay your Council Tax

The easiest way is to set up a Direct Debit online.

Monthly instalments

Almost 90% of customers pay by Direct Debit and our default payment date is the 1st of the month. Our you can choose from these payment dates: 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 22nd, or 27th (by arrangement).

There are two payment options:

Pay over 10 months from April to January, with no instalments in February and March.
Request to spread your instalments across 12 months from April to March.

Visit our paying your Council Tax page to set up your Direct Debit or to change your payment date or option.

Understanding how your bill has been calculated

Council Tax is made up of charges from Cheshire East Council, your Town/Parish Council, Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service, and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire Constabulary.

For more information visit about Council Tax. For a breakdown of how we calculate your bill see your Council Tax bill explained.

How to get help with your Council Tax bill

You may be entitled to Council Tax Support. Visit the Benefit Section for more information.

Services your Council Tax pays for

Cheshire East Council, along with your town/parish council, provides hundreds of local services. Council Tax helps to fund these services, as well as those provided by Cheshire Police, Cheshire Fire Authority and the Environment Agency. Council Tax is a form of taxation, not a direct fee for services. Consequently, there are no discounts for services that are not used.

For more information see Council Tax Budgets and Spending

Why we have a garden waste recycling scheme

We’re facing significant financial pressures like many other local authorities. We must look at other ways of creating income so that we can protect essential frontline services for those residents most in need.

Collecting garden waste isn’t an essential service that councils must provide statutorily and as of 2019, more than 65% of local authorities across England were charging for this service and many have been doing so for several years. Since 2019, other local authorities have also introduced their own subscription scheme. You’ll only pay for the service if you opt-in.

More information about the garden waste recycling scheme.

Charges for the Parish/Town

Your Parish/Town Council can add a charge to your Council Tax bill to pay for tasks they undertake in your Parish/Town. This includes maintaining playing fields and open spaces, providing footway lighting and looking after cemeteries and graveyards.

Queries relating to your Parish/Town charge should be made to them directly.

How Council Tax is set

The Council calculates the total amount of Council Tax needed by Cheshire East Council and that amount is divided proportionately between individual properties, which are placed in one of eight bands from A to H, depending on their value as at 1 April 1991.

In addition to the Cheshire East charge, local Town/Parish Councils, Cheshire Constabulary and Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service are responsible for setting their own Council Tax levels in consideration of their budget requirement for the year.

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Contact Council Tax

Council Tax enquiry form

If you're unable to use our forms or have any questions about your bill you can call the Council Tax Customer Service Team on 0300 123 5013 during normal office hours, 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.

Page last reviewed: 13 March 2025