Our standards

Who we are, and our regulatory position

Council Tax Helpline is a trading style of Simply Quote Comparison Ltd, company number 15008284. The service is provided on our behalf by Complete 2 Financial Solutions Ltd, company number 15167030.

Because our service relates to council tax and local authority debt rather than regulated consumer credit, it falls outside the scope of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation. That does not change how we expect to treat people. The standards below apply to everyone we help.

Treating people fairly

• We explain things plainly, including what can happen next and what each option would mean for you
• We start from what you can afford, not from what anyone else wants you to pay
• We tell you about the alternatives, including options that cost nothing and free, independent debt advice
• We never pressure you into a decision, and nothing goes ahead without your agreement
• We tell you about any costs before you agree to anything
• We never charge you for using our service

People in vulnerable circumstances

Many people who contact us are going through something that makes dealing with debt harder, such as illness, a disability, bereavement, a relationship breaking down, or caring for someone. We will:

• Take the time you need, and explain things again if that helps
• Offer to put things in writing, or speak to someone you trust, with your permission
• Use what you tell us only to help you, for example to explain your circumstances to your council, and only with your permission
• Point you to specialist help where it would serve you better than we can

If you are struggling to cope, the Samaritans are there free on 116 123, day or night.

Honest information

Our guides are written to help people understand their situation, not to sell anything. They are checked against the law and official guidance, show the date they were last reviewed, and are updated when the rules change. Where a figure changes often, we say so.

We follow the UK advertising rules on being honest and not misleading. We only publish genuine feedback from real people, with their permission.

Protecting your information

We only collect what we need to help you, keep it secure, and share it only with the people who need it. Our privacy policy explains exactly what we collect and why.

When things go wrong

If we get something wrong, we want to hear about it and put it right. Our complaints procedure explains how to complain and what happens next.

Reviewing these standards

We review these standards regularly, and whenever the way we work changes.