Skipton and Ripon MP, Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith KCB CBE, is notifying constituents across North Yorkshire of an important upgrade to the Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefits systems, due to take place between 2 May and the end of June 2025.
According to North Yorkshire Council, the update will merge seven legacy systems - previously managed by different districts and boroughs - into a single, unified system for all of North Yorkshire. The change is being led by North Yorkshire Council to improve how services are delivered, offering a more streamlined, efficient and responsive experience for local residents.
During the upgrade, systems will be offline on a staggered basis across the region:
- Ryedale and Craven: from 1 May 2025
- Selby: from 12 May 2025
- Richmondshire: from 15 May 2025
- Hambleton: from 20 May 2025
- Scarborough: from 23 May 2025
- Harrogate: from 30 May 2025
While residents will still be able to submit requests during this time, no action will be taken until the new system goes live at the end of June 2025. The Council will then begin processing the backlog of requests as quickly as possible.
According to the council most people will be unaffected, and customers do not need to do anything while they make these changes.
Commenting, Julian said: “This upgrade will help North Yorkshire Council offer joined-up services, reduce duplication and improve customer access across Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefits. While there will be some disruption in May and June, I am hopeful that these changes will provide the long-term benefits for residents.”
North Yorkshire Council has published a comprehensive list of FAQs to help residents understand the changes, available at: https://www.juliansmith.org.uk/sites/www.juliansmith.org.uk/files/2025-05/FAQs.pdf.
If you are experiencing hardship or are at risk of eviction during this time, please contact the Council directly via:
- Phone: 0300 1312 131
- Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
