Argyll and Bute Council Online Payment system - Questions and Answers

The council will accept payments for Council Tax, both current and previous year accounts, Non Domestic (Business) Rates, and for any invoices generated through the Debtors system.
Invoices for benefits Overpayments cannot be accepted and you should contact the number on your invoice if you have queries about how to make a payment.
New payment types will be added to the Online Payments facility as they become available.

2. How can I find out my Council Tax balance online?

Your current year council tax balance is presented by entering your council tax reference number. This number is validated by the payments system and the current balance will display. The balance will be correct at the start of each working day. Council Tax systems are updated overnight and therefore the balance display will not immediately reflect any payment that’s just been made that day. However, customers should be reassured that their payment will have been accepted where payment acknowledgement is displayed and/or an email receipt is generated by the system. Please note that a balance will only display if there is one. Zero balances will not display.

3. Will I get a Receipt?

When an online payment is made, the system will automatically generate a receipt which you can print off. If an email address is entered in the correct field, then an email receipt will also be generated. The receipt will contain details of the payment and the transactions details and transaction code which can be used as a reference for any enquiries to the revenues team.

4. Who do I contact for Refunds and payment enquiries?

Refunds and enquiries regarding payments made via the online payment system are managed by the Revenues team based at Campbeltown. They can be contacted on 01546 555245.

5. Is it Secure?

The payment system is hosted by Capita Software Services Ltd on their secure servers. No card or payment details are held within the Council. Capita are one of the leading providers of secure revenue and payment systems, and provide payment services to over 150 local government councils across the UK. They have recently attained the highest level of card data security accreditation recognised by the Payment Card Industry.
The Online Payment system uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, a standard supported by most major Internet browsers. Our customers’ personal and card details are protected using 128 bit encryption, when transmitted over the Internet.

6. What is Verisecure?

AXIS Verisecure is a security feature that delivers the online equivalent of “chip and pin” and is used to authenticate and further secure Cardholder not Present transactions over the internet to reduce the risk of fraud. Axis Verisecure incorporates new technical standards developed by Visa and Mastercard.
Customers register directly with their card issuer via the internet and can register any of their Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards. The customer selects a password which they are prompted for when making an online payment. Password details are securely stored by the card issuers and are not accessible by staff of Capita Software Service or Argyll and Bute Council.
The Verified by Visa and Mastercard Secure code logos appear on the Council’s website and more information on these standards can be found by clicking on these links.

7. Are there any charges for making a Card Payment?

Payments made by debit card e.g. Maestro, do not attract any bank charges. However, credit card payments will incur a surcharge of 1.8%. This surcharge is applied by the banks to customers who wish to use Credit cards as a form of payment. The Council collect this surcharge on behalf of the banks.