Residents in South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse district can claim back a total of £4.773 million from their respective councils. These overdue refunds span over 30 years of council transactions. South Oxfordshire council owes £2.667 million across 7,484 accounts. This amount represents a small fraction – 0.1% – of the £2.5 billion collected over that period. Notably, 40% of these overpayments occurred in the last two financial years, indicating that ongoing administration activities remain high.
Meanwhile, residents in the Vale of White Horse can reclaim £2.244 million credited to 6,553 accounts, similarly reflecting 0.1% of their £2.2 billion collection total. Approximately 45% of these overpayments are also attributed to the last two years. The councils have stated that any unclaimed credits will eventually be redistributed among the major precepting authorities, including Oxfordshire County Council and the local police department.
According to council representatives, credits in council tax accounts can result from various circumstances, such as residents moving out or amendments being applied to the account. Most overpayments are refunded promptly, or upon request, are transferred to another council tax account within the district.
However, there can be delays due to factors like residents moving without notifying the council or backdated changes to a property’s tax band imposed by the Valuation Office Agency.
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The use of direct debit for council tax payments is high, with an adoption rate of 84%, facilitating automatic refunds in most instances. When a closed account holds a credit, councils send a credit bill and a refund request form to the last known address. This might be a forwarding address if provided, or the property address itself, accounting for possible postal redirection.
There’s no deadline for claiming a refund, so former residents can have their requests processed anytime. If you think you might be owed a refund or wish to verify the status of a council tax account, you can contact the South Oxfordshire council tax team at [email protected] or call 0345 302 2313. For the Vale of White Horse, reach out at [email protected] or call 0345 302 2315.
West Oxfordshire District Council, Cherwell District Council, and Oxford City Council have been approached for similar data.
