Rate bills are due to be issued to homes and businesses across Northern Ireland from today.
For a second year, the Executive has frozen the element of the rate bill it is responsible for to help both households and businesses.
There are approximately 833,000 rateable domestic properties and 75,000 non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland.
Read more: Rates increase across Northern Ireland's 11 councils
The overall rates residents pay is based on the district rate set by councils and pay for public services such as health, education, justice and other regional services.
The bills are calculated on the value of a property.
Rates bills have increased in all 11 council areas in Northern Ireland in 2022/23.
The highest percentage increase is 3.9% within the Mid Ulster council area while Antrim and Newtownabbey has set the lowest district rate of all the councils at 1.9%.
Elsewhere Belfast City Council has agreed a district rate of 2.99% while Lisburn and Castlereagh councillors agreed on 3.64%.
Some local authorities froze their rates for last year as an acknowledgement of the financial pressures people faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Councils say they have taken into consideration the unprecedented situation faced by residents and businesses due to the significant increase in the cost of living when deciding to increase rates.
All businesses will be provided with a one month rates holiday (with some limited exceptions including utilities and larger food stores) while retail, hospitality, tourism, leisure, childcare, newspapers and airports will receive a three months rates holiday.
The rates holiday amount will be discounted and shown on the overall bill issuing.
A wide range of rate reliefs and entitlements are available including; support for those entitled to Universal Credit, for people on a low income and for pensioners who live on their own.
Land & Property Services (LPS) is encouraging anyone having difficulty paying to contact them for advice on payment arrangements and the range of support available.
There are a number of ways to pay your rate bill:
- Direct Debit is the easiest and most convenient way to pay and allows ratepayers to spread the cost over monthly instalments. You can set up a Direct Debit online.
- Pay online by debit or credit card.
- Pay at any Post Office or PayPoint.
- Domestic ratepayers can receive 4% discount if they pay their 2022/23 Rates in full on or before 10th June 2022.
The bill will set out the amount due for 2022/23, details of any rate relief which has been applied to your account and any arrears from previous years that have not been paid. If you think the information on your bill is incorrect or if you have not received a bill please contact LPS.
The average household rate bill in NI remains lower than the average equivalent Council Tax bill (excluding water charges) in the rest of the UK (other factors such as household income and disposable income levels need to be factored into any substantive comparison).
The 2022/23 average figures are: NI - £1,052, England - £1,493, Scotland - £1,238 and Wales -£1,588.
Full details can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/ratespayment.
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