The Challenge of Accurate Counil Tax
Managing council tax payment calculations for local authorities is a complex and consistant struggle for councils; people move, households change, children turn 18 and residents become responsible for different properties, all of which can affect how much council tax should be paid. Keeping track of these changes can be difficult when information is spread across multiple systems, making it harder for councils to spot incorrect discounts, changes in liability or potential fraud.
At Sentinel, we help councils identify potential council tax fraud, incorrect discounts and upcoming changes in household circumstances, so councils can recover lost revenue, ensure discounts are applied correctly and proactively manage future changes.
Recover Lost Council Tax Revenue
At Sentinel, we help councils make better use of the data they already hold. Our solution brings together council tax, electoral register and other relevant council data to create a clearer picture of residents, households and properties. By matching and analysing this information, we can flag cases where something may need attention, such as:
Single Person Discount where other people may be living at the property
A resident linked to multiple properties
A child approaching 18 whose circumstances could affect the household's council tax.
Potential fraud, such as claiming Single Person Discount on multiple properties.
This gives councils the information they need to investigate potential issues, recover lost revenue and proactively manage changes before they become a problem.
How it Works
The solution starts by bringing relevant data sources together in one place. We clean and match the information to connect records belonging to the same residents and households, creating a single, trusted view of the data.
The platform then analyses this information to identify patterns and changes that may indicate a council tax issue. Officers can view flagged cases through a dashboard, see the information behind each case and prioritise those that require further investigation.
For example, if a household is receiving a Single Person Discount but other data suggests additional people may be living at the property, the case can be flagged for review. Similarly, if a child is approaching 18, the council can identify the household in advance and contact the resident before their council tax circumstances change.
The platform provides evidence to support investigations rather than making decisions about residents, allowing councils to remain in control of the process.
Potential Issues We Identify for Review:
Households claiming a Single Person Discount where additional occupants may be present
Young people approaching their 18th birthday who may affect household eligibility
Residents linked to multiple properties
Electoral register information that differs from council tax records
Household composition changes identified through other council datasets
Cases with multiple indicators suggesting a review may be required
Rather than manually reviewing thousands of records, officers can focus on the cases most likely to require investigation.
Benefits
Protect Council tax Revenue
by identifying potential incorrect discounts, payments and changes in liability that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Prioritise Investigations
by giving officers a clearer view of which cases may require attention, rather than manually working through large volumes of records.
Act Earlier
by identifying upcoming changes in household circumstances, giving councils the opportunity to contact residents before their council tax position changes.
Save Time
by bringing information from multiple systems together and reducing the need for manual data checking.
Make Better Use of Existing Data
by connecting information councils already hold and turning it into actionable insight.
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