We’re upgrading our Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefits systems between May and June. During this time, there will be some changes to how we work.
We’re upgrading our Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefits systems between 1 May and the end of June 2025. We will need to turn off some of our systems to make improvements.
Most people will be unaffected, and you do not need to do anything.
You will still need to report changes in your circumstances that may affect your Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction claim, or to make a new application. You can still do this using our online forms.
However, while we improve our systems, we cannot process or carry out these changes. This means you may receive payments which do not reflect the changes that you have asked us to make.
After we have finished the system improvements, we will start to process your request as quickly as we can. This should be from the end of June 2025.
Council tax and business rates customers who pay by direct debit will shortly be emailed or contacted by post to advise that the referencing information associated with their direct debit instruction will be changing. This notification is a statutory requirement and will not affect collection of direct debit payments which will continue to be taken as arranged.
You can still pay us online, by telephone, in person at the Post Office or PayPoint outlets as well as through your bank.
We will carry on paying your regular Housing Benefit, based on your entitlement shown on your last notification letter.
If you are experiencing extreme hardship or are at risk of eviction, contact us straight away.
Our staff are still working as usual, if you need to contact us our phone lines are open on 0300 131 2 131, and you can contact us online:
Contact us about Council Tax system changes
Contact us about Business Rates system changes
Contact us about Housing Benefits system changes
We are also building a new online portal for landlords. This will help landlords manage their tenant's benefits payments securely and easily online.
We are moving from seven individual revenues and benefits systems to a single system for the whole of North Yorkshire. We are taking this opportunity to upgrade our technology, what we can offer our customers, and improve customer self-service functions
It will provide a better and consistent service to council taxpayers, benefits recipients and business rates payers.
An improved self-service option will enable customers to access their accounts quickly to find information or make updates.
Our web pages will be updated to make it easier for you to find the information you need.
Our online forms will be updated so all customers are able to access the same online service.
We are introducing a new secure website for North Yorkshire Revenues and Benefits customers and landlords, called the Citizens’ Access Portal. This portal replaces current online revenue and benefits systems with improved self-service features for all our customers.
You will be able to: