If you already get Council Tax Reduction and need to tell us about a change see changes of circumstance.
If you're on a low income, Council Tax Reduction could help pay your council tax bill.
You can still claim Council Tax Reduction if you:
- work
- are self-employed
- get a pension
- get welfare benefits, including Universal Credit
You might be entitled to other discounts or exemptions from your Council Tax bill.
Who could get Council Tax Reduction
You could be entitled to Council Tax Reduction if:
- you and any partner have savings or investments of up to £16,000
- you're responsible for paying the Council Tax for the property you live in
If your name doesn't appear on the Council Tax bill, but you pay rent then you may be eligible for Housing Benefit.
Who can't get Council Tax Reduction
You can't get Council Tax Reduction if we decide that:
- you and any partner have joint savings or investments of more than £16,000 (unless you are claiming a Second Adult Rebate)
- you're a person who is excluded from our scheme because you are considered as either not being in Great Britain' or a person who is subject to immigration control'
- you're a full-time student who falls into a category of students that is excluded from our scheme (unless you are claiming a student Second Adult Rebate)
Use our benefits calculator to get an estimate of what Council Tax Reduction you could get.
How to make an application
If you have made a claim for Universal Credit and requested help with your council tax
If you have claimed Universal Credit and asked for help with your council tax, the Department for Work and Pensions will send a notification to us.
This notification will be treated as an application for Council Tax Reduction. We will make a decision and make a payment to your council tax account if we have enough information to do so.
We'll contact you if we need any more information or evidence, or if we decide that an application form needs to be completed.
If we have not contacted you within three months of you making an application for Universal Credit, you can complete an application form by following the instructions and link below.
If you have not claimed Universal Credit
If you have not claimed Universal Credit and asked for help with your council tax, or have been asked by us to complete an application form, apply below:
Apply for Council Tax Reduction
After you've submitted your claim, we'll let you know if we need further information or evidence from you.
We'll aim to tell you our decision within 35 days of receiving your application.
We'll do this by:
- sending you a new Council Tax bill if we've made an award
- or sending you a decision letter by post if we've decided you're not entitled to any reduction
If we send you a new Council Tax bill, it'll show the reduction and any unpaid balance. You can also register for an online council tax account, where you can view your bills.
The amount you get may change if you have a change of circumstance.
How much you'll get
You could get up to 100% of your Council Tax after any discounts.
The actual amount will depend upon your Council Tax band, income, household, and person circumstances.
You will still need to make a payment towards your Council Tax if you're working but getting the maximum amount of Universal Credit because of low earnings.
Use our benefits calculator if you need an estimate of your entitlement to Council Tax Reduction.
Backdating an application
We may be able to backdate your application to a date before you sent in your application form.
For pensioner applications
We'll automatically backdate your claim by up to three months.
For working age applications
Awards are usually made from the Monday following the date you applied.
You must let us know if you want your application to be backdated. You can do this when you fill in the online claim form or by using our online contact form.
We can sometimes backdate your application for up to six months from the date we get your written request for backdating.
You'll need to tell us why you didn't make your application earlier. For example:
- you were seriously ill and nobody could make your application for you
- your income was affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)
We may ask you to provide extra information about your reasons for not applying sooner.
If we give you too much Council Tax Reduction
We might give you too much Council Tax Reduction if you have:
- given us the wrong information
- not told us about a change in circumstances straight away
If we've given you too much Council Tax Reduction, we'll send you a new Council Tax bill and amend your monthly repayments.
If you pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit, we'll increase your monthly payment.