All payment methods

You can pay your business rates in monthly instalments. Your bill will detail the payments and the dates on which they should be made.

There are a number of ways by which you can make your payments. However, unless you choose to pay by direct debit your payments must be made on or before the 1st of each month.

Direct debit

The easiest and cheapest way for you to pay your business rates is by direct debit. If you choose to pay by direct debit then payments must be made on the first or fifteenth of each month.

If you wish to pay by direct debit you should either:

• Telephone 020 7525 5505 to request a direct debit form
• Download and complete a direct debit form

Once your direct debit has been set up, we will send you confirmation, together with the dates and amounts of the instalments. This notification will be sent to you at least 14 days prior to the first instalment.

Automated payment service

This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

To make payments using your credit or debit card please call 0845 600 0611 and choose the option for business rates.

Please ensure you have your business rates account number available. You can find your business rates account number on the front of the bill.

Online

You can also make payments using your debit/credit card, via our website's payment link.

At a bank or cash office

If you wish to make payment at a bank or one of our cash offices they will receipt your payment on the reverse of your business rates bill.

Cash payments are accepted Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the following cash offices:

• Peckham Cash Office
  19-23 Bournemouth Road
  Peckham
  SE15
  
• Walworth Cash Office
  177-179 Walworth Road
  SE17

Council cash offices accept, cash, cheques and chip and pin debit and credit cards as methods of payment.

By post

Cheques can be sent through the post. They should be made payable to Southwark Council and crossed "account payee".

You should ensure that your:

• Name
• Property address
• Business rates reference

are given on the reverse of the cheque. If you are paying multiple accounts you should ensure that you state the amount that should be allocated to each.

If you would like a receipt for your payment you will need to enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

We are not able to accept post-dated cheques. Please do not send cash by post. Please send cheques to:

London Borough of Southwark
Income Collection Business Unit
PO BOX 11767
153-159 Abbeyfield Road
Rotherhithe
London
SE16 3ZF

Yearly/half-yearly

You can also pay your business rates in one yearly payment or two half-yearly instalments. However these payments should be made in advance of the monthly instalment dates, which are April 1 and October 1.

BACS and CHAPS payments

If you wish to make payment via BACS or CHAPS, please make an individual payment for each of your business rates accounts. If you send one payment split between multiple accounts, ensure you email a remittance advice to businessrates@southwark.gov.uk or fax a remittance advice to 020 3300 5882 in advance of payment. The council's bank details are:

• BACS Sort Code: 62-21-03
• CHAPS Sort Code: 51-50-03
• Account Number: 27781046

You must quote the account number shown on the bill when making payment. If you do not, the Council cannot be held responsible for payments not allocated to your account.