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Council Tax is a local taxation that covers the cost of local council services such as refuse collection and street cleaning. Every house in Suffolk is required by law to pay Council Tax. The level of Council Tax you pay is based on the value of the house that you are living in. The Council Tax is only for the house and if you live alone you can ask for a 25% discount. If you are in full-time education you will not need to pay council tax; if you are receiving benefits you will have help with your Council Tax bill. For more information visit your local District or Borough Council offices. |
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All homes in the UK have electricity supplied at 240 volts. You may need an adaptor for your electrical appliances to run safely here. |
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Most houses have a gas supply - this is used for hot water, heating and cooking. It is important that the gas appliances are tested and checked annually by a CORGI registered gas engineer. To find out which company supplies your home with gas call the Meter Number Helpline. |
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Paying for your gas and electricity |
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When you move into a property it is very important to write down the meter readings. You then need to telephone the companies who supply these services and give these readings along with your information and contact details. There are two methods of paying for your energy usage. You can either use prepayment meters, or a standard meter where you pay every three months or monthly by direct debit. Prepayment meter: With the prepayment meter you pay before you use the energy so you are always in control of what you spend. You will have a card for your meter which you take to the Post Office or a Pay Point centre in a shop. You can top up the card when you need to. Standard meter: The standard meter means you pay every three months for the energy you have used. You can pay this bill by sending a cheque, or through your bank or the Post Office. It is often cheaper to set up a direct debit so an agreed amount leaves your account each month. For more information contact your energy supplier. |
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Water supplied to homes in the UK is safe to drink and use for washing. When you are renting a house it is important to check if you have a water meter (found in a round black cover in the pavement at the front of the property) or a normal supply. You need to contact your water supplier and give them your details and they will send you a bill. This can be paid monthly or every six months. |
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You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV. If you do not have a licence you can be fined up to £1,000. A colour TV Licence costs £131.50 and a black and white licence costs £44.00 per year. You can pay for your licence for as little as £5.50 a week. |
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If you would like a landline phone connected to your home, you will probably have to sign a 12 month contract. It may be cheaper and easier to pay for a pre-pay or contract mobile phone. Otherwise you will see a box in your property for your phone provider. You need to call the number on the box and they can advise how to help you.
It can be cheaper to order your new phone line via the Internet.
Check below for contact information.
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You can find out about the Internet access from your Telephone line provider.
Some Internet Service Providers require a BT phone line.
If you are a Virgin Media customer, they can provide you with their own cable connection.
Some areas are covered by Wireless Internet. You can connect to it if you have compatible devices.
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Housing 
