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How to call your council

4 min readUK only

Find your council from your postcode on GOV.UK and use the number on its website, with your council tax account number or penalty notice to hand. In England and Wales, band challenges go to the Valuation Office, not the council. Or let your simp hold for up to 6 minutes and report the problem.

What your simp can't do hereYour simp can report a problem and bring back a reference, but it can't sign forms, attend anything or make a formal challenge, and it shares only what you've allowed. Your simp waits on hold for up to 6 minutes, then lets you know so you can take over. Time on hold counts towards your AI minutes.
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What you can do yourself.

Every council runs its own services, so check yours. The rules below are from GOV.UK.

  1. Step 1Find your council

    Enter your postcode on GOV.UK to find your council's website, then use its number for the service you need.

  2. Step 2Check the website first

    In England and Wales, bin days are on your council's website. Each council runs its own services, so the details differ from place to place.

  3. Step 3Council tax bills

    Have your council tax account number ready. Council Tax Reduction is applied for through your council, and each council runs its own scheme.

  4. Step 4Think your band is wrong

    In England and Wales, a Council Tax band challenge goes to the Valuation Office, not the council.

  5. Step 5Parking tickets

    Have the penalty charge notice to hand when you call, and keep to the dates on it. Scotland and Northern Ireland work differently.

  6. Step 6Keep a reference

    Note the date, who you spoke to and any reference number, in case you need to follow it up.

The catch: it's one council at a time. Numbers, services and opening hours differ from council to council, and some jobs are done online rather than by phone.

How a simp does it.

Alex's recycling wasn't collected. Gareth waited for waste services, gave only the address Alex had allowed for the call, and came back with a reference and a new collection day.

GarethGareth - Report a missed bin collectionOutgoing - AI number - 3:46
Example call
  1. 00:00 - Phone menuFor waste and recycling, press 3.
  2. 03:22 - CouncilWaste services, how can I help?
  3. 03:25 - GarethHi, I'm Gareth, calling for Alex. The recycling wasn't collected on Tuesday.
  4. 03:31 - CouncilCan I take the first line of the address and the postcode?
  5. 03:34 - GarethAlex has let me share it for this call: 12 Elm Road, SE15 4QT.
  6. 03:40 - CouncilThanks. That's logged for collection by Friday, reference WR2207.

Missed collection logged. Reference WR2207, back by Friday.

Tell it the problem. It brings back a reference.

Tell your simp which council to call and what's wrong. It waits in the queue for up to 6 minutes, reports the problem with the details you've allowed for that call, and tells you what the council said and any reference. If nobody answers by then, it lets you know so you can take over.

What it can't doYour simp doesn't pretend to be you, and it doesn't pass security checks for you. It never gives out your passwords, PINs or security answers. It can't sign anything, attend anything or make a formal challenge for you.What your simp is allowed to do
Good to know

If they need the account holder, you take over.

Some organisations will only deal with the account holder. If they do, your simp gets you to the right team, and you tap Take over in the Simp app.

  1. Step 1Your simp makes the callIt reports the problem or asks the question.
  2. Step 2They need the account holderSecurity questions and decisions stay with you.
  3. Step 3You tap Take overAlready with the right team, ready to talk.

Questions about calling your council.

Can my simp challenge a parking ticket for me?

It can call the council to ask how to challenge and what evidence to send, and bring back the answer. The challenge itself is yours to make, by the dates on the notice.

See the parking step
Will it give the council my address?

Only if you've allowed it for that call. You choose what your simp may share, fact by fact, in the app.

What your simp is allowed to do
What if they ask for security details?

You tap Take over in the Simp app and answer them yourself. It never gives out your passwords, PINs or security answers.

What your simp is allowed to do
Does it use my AI minutes?

Yes. The whole call counts towards your monthly AI minutes, time on hold included. Your simp waits on hold for up to 6 minutes, then lets you know so you can take over. You can top up in the app if you run low.

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Let your simp wait for the council.

Every plan comes with a simp that holds for up to 6 minutes and comes back with a reference.

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