If you’re on a low income, in receipt of certain benefits, or a pensioner, you might be able to get help with your Council Tax bill.
A good starting place is our online Benefit calculator and you can also find details of the main Council Tax support schemes below.
Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme
Working age claimants
If you are of working age and on a low income, including Universal Credit, you might qualify for a reduction in your Council Tax bill under the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
You could get up to 100% off your annual bill and any award will be deducted automatically to reduce your monthly payments.
From 1st April 2024 we have introduced a new income banded scheme. Further details can be found on page 19 in our Claim What’s Yours booklet or use our online Benefit calculator.
The income bands are:
| Passported | Single, no children | Couples, no children | Family with 1 child | Family with 2 or more children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discount Level |
Weekly Income Levels £ |
||||
| Band 1 – 100% | Relevant Benefit | £0 - £155.00 | £0 - £155.00 | £0 - £210.00 | £0 - £265.00 |
| Band 2 – 75% | Not applicable | £155.01 - £210.00 | £155.01 - £210.00 | £210.01 - £265.00 | £265.01 - £320.00 |
| Band 3 – 50% | Not applicable | £210.01 - £265.00 | £210.01 - £265.00 | £265.01 - £320.00 | £320.01 - £375.00 |
| Band 4 – 25% | Not applicable | £265.01 - £320.00 | £265.01 - £320.00 | £320.01 - £375.00 | £375.01 - £430.00 |
| Band 5 – 0% | Not applicable | £320.01 + | £320.01 + | £375.01 + | £430.01 + |
Pension age
If you’re of State Pension age you might be able to get help with some, or all, of your council tax bill. This depends on any income and savings you might have.
Second adult rebate:
This is a form of Council Tax reduction available to people of State Pension age with a second adult living in their property, who is not their partner, calculated on the second adult's income (who must be aged at least 18 and not paying rent to the person liable for Council Tax). Capital must be under £16,000 (If you receive Pension Credit Guarantee, your capital can be more than £16,000). Claims can be backdated if there is a valid reason why you were unable to apply for Housing Benefit/Council Tax reduction earlier.
Apply for local Council Tax reduction
Find out more about how this benefit is applied in our local Council Tax Reduction Scheme policy.
Council Tax discretionary payment
If you’re struggling to pay your Council Tax, you might also be able to apply for a discretionary award to help bring your bill down for a short period.
Anyone can apply in times of hardship, but the amount of money available is limited. Whether you’re successful in your application will depend on your circumstances.
Apply for Council Tax discretionary payment
Other Council Tax discounts and exemptions
Even if you aren’t eligible for other benefits, you may be entitled to a discount or exemption on your Council Tax for other reasons, for example if you live alone, or members of your household are disabled, low paid care workers, suffer with a severe mental impairment, are being looked after in a hospital or care home.
Or your property might be exempt for another reason.
Visit these webpages for a full list of discounts and exemptions.
If you’re in financial difficulty, you might also be able to get help with your housing costs or Universal Credit.
Contact us
Call 01827 709540 to speak to a customer services advisor, use the web chat function, or email the benefits team directly at [email protected].