Self-service portal
Council Tax, Housing Benefits and Business Rates self-service Citizen Access portal
If you are a resident or business in the Lewes district or Eastbourne, you can now register for our new Council Tax, Housing Benefits and Business Rates Citizen Access portals.
Citizen Access allows you to find your Council Tax payment history, set up Direct Debits, tell us about a change of address and make a claim for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction. You can also notify us of changes if you already claim and view your Benefit entitlement, payments and letters.
Important: please read our registration guidance below. You need to create a website My Account first and will then be able to sign in to Citizen Access on our My Account Login page.
What is Citizen Access?
Citizen Access is a portal for residents of Eastbourne and the Lewes District. The portal allows you to find your payment history, set up Direct Debits, tell us about a change of address and more.
If you receive Housing Benefits or Council Tax Reduction, you can to access your payment history and account details on the portal too.
How do I register for Citizen Access for Council Tax?
You need to sign up for a website My Account first. If you don't already have one, you can create your account here.
- Select Create a new account below the Login panel
- Enter the email address you want to use for My Account
- You will be sent a PIN by email and the login screen on your browser will wait for 30 minutes for you to enter the PIN
- Enter the PIN
Once you have signed up, you will then be able to register for Citizen Access on your My Account Welcome page. Make sure you have your Council Tax reference number available, a record of a phone number you have registered with us, and your bank account number.
- Scroll down the My Account Welcome page to the Council Tax area
- Select the council you will be paying Council Tax to
- This takes you to the main Citizen Access page
- Select My Account details
- You can then complete the online Citizen Access registration
After this, you will only need to log in to My Account once to reach the Citizen Access portal each time you visit the website. This is called Single Sign On. It saves you time and provides access to all your records in one place.
How do I register for Citizen Access for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction?
You need to sign up for a website My Account first. If you don't already have one, you can create your account here.
- Select Create a new account below the Login panel
- Enter the email address you want to use for My Account
- You will be sent a PIN by email and the login screen on your browser will wait for 30 minutes for you to enter the PIN
- Enter the PIN
Once you have signed up, you will then be able to register for Citizen Access on your My Account Welcome page. Make sure you have your National Insurance number handy and claim reference number (if applicable).
- Scroll down the My Account Welcome page to the Benefits area
- Select the council you claim benefits from
- This takes you to the main Citizen Access page
- Navigate to the Benefits tab and select existing claims link
- Select 'View my claim summary'
- You will be asked to confirm your personal details
- You can then complete the online Citizen Access registration
After this, you will only need to log in to My Account once to reach the Citizen Access portal each time you visit the website. This is called Single Sign On. It saves you time and provides access to all your records in one place.
How do I register for Citizen Access for Business Rates?
You need to sign up for a website My Account first. If you don't already have one, you can create your account here.
- Select Create a new account below the Login panel
- Enter the email address you want to use for My Account
- You will be sent a PIN by email and the login screen on your browser will wait for 30 minutes for you to enter the PIN
- Enter the PIN
Once you have signed up, you will then be able to register for Citizen Access on your My Account Welcome page. Make sure you have your Business Rates reference number available, a record of a phone number you have registered with us, and your bank account number (if applicable).
- Scroll down the My Account Welcome page to the Business Rates area
- Select the relevant council
- This takes you to the main Citizen Access page
- Select My Account details
- You can then complete the online Citizen Access registration
After this, you will only need to log in to My Account once to reach the Citizen Access portal each time you visit the website. This is called Single Sign On. It saves you time and provides access to all your records in one place.
If have any issues with your details not being recognised, please enter details exactly as they appear on your bill and try both person and organisation. If you have provided a trading name or are joint liable parties, you may be on the system as an organisation.
Can I still sign in to Citizen Access with the login details I had for the councils' old portals?
No, you will need to sign up and register for a new My Account first.
I have registered but not all my account history is on the portal
We are currently transferring all records from the councils' previous portals to Citizen Access. When we have finished, you will be able to see your full account, record and payment history.
How to claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction
If you are a new customer, you need to make a claim for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction online before you can register for the self-service portal.
If you already receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction and have registered for a My Account, you can report change of circumstances by linking your account through the Citizen Access Portal by using your reference number.
