Claiming Council Tax Reduction
Apply for council tax reduction
Council Tax Reduction is a means-tested benefit. You can apply for Council Tax Reduction if you fall into any of the following criteria:
- You own your home (either outright or you have a mortgage);
- You rent your home;
- You are the person whose name is on the council tax bill. If you are jointly responsible for the council tax we may be able to help with your share of the bill;
- You are on a low income;
- You are 18 years of age.
+ When will I not be entitled to claim council tax reduction?
In some cases you won’t be entitled to claim Council Tax Reduction. You will be unable to claim this benefit if you fall into any of the following criteria:
- You are not responsible for paying the council tax bill;
- You are a full-time student;
- Either you, or your partner, or both of you together, have more than £10,000 in savings or £16,000 for Pension Age claimants;
- You are an asylum seeker, unless you've been given refugee status or indefinite or exceptional leave (also called discretionary or humanitarian leave) to remain in the United Kingdom;
- You have been admitted to the United Kingdom on the condition that you have 'no recourse to public funds'. Council tax reduction is a public fund, so you may not claim it if this condition was applied to you;
- You are a sponsored immigrant and have lived here for less than five years;
- You are in the United Kingdom illegally or your permission to stay has run out.
+ How do I claim council tax reduction?
You can apply for council tax reduction by submitting an online claim form. You can also estimate your entitlement to council tax reduction using our online benefits calculator.
View our Council Tax Reduction Scheme document [pdf] 1308KB for more information.
+ I don't think that I am eligible to claim council tax reduction, is there anything else I can do to reduce my council tax bill?
As of 1 April 2017 second adult rebate is only available for claimants who are of pension age.
If your home has been adapted to meet the needs of a disabled person then you may qualify for Council Tax Reduction. The disabled person must live at the property. This is known as 'disabled persons relief'. Apply for disabled persons relief.
Information about other discounts can also be found by visiting discounts and exemptions page.
Council Tax Reduction Scheme for working age customers from April 2024
As of April 2020, the Council Tax Reduction scheme changed to a discounted scheme and the tables below shows what level of Council Tax Reduction (or discount) you will receive depending on your family income. The incomes stated in the table below would be your net income after any disregards have been applied such as the £25pw disregard if you are earning. This disregard applies to the household rather than each person that is working. Incomes such as Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independent Payment, and Carers Allowance are disregarded in full. The income table will increase year on year in line with the national minimum wage.
|
Bands |
Band 1 |
Band 2 |
Band 3 |
Band 4 |
Band 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Single |
£0.00 – £114.40 |
£114.41 – £171.60 |
£171.61 – |
£228.81 – |
£286.01 – |
|
Couple |
£0.00 – £154.40 |
£154.41– £211.60 |
£211.61 – |
£268.81 – |
£326.01 – |
|
Lone parent with 1 child |
£0.00 – £169.40 |
£169.41 – £226.60 |
£226.61 – |
£283.81 – |
£341.01 – |
|
Couple with 1 child |
£0.00 – £209.40 |
£209.41 – |
£266.61 – |
£323.81 – |
£381.01– |
|
Lone parent with 2+ children |
£0.00 – £224.40 |
£224.41 – |
£281.61 – |
£338.81 – |
£396.01 – |
|
Couple with 2+ children |
£0.00 – £264.40 |
£264.41 – |
£321.61 – |
£378.81 – |
£436.01 – |
|
Bands |
Band 1 |
Band 2 |
Band 3 |
Band 4 |
Band 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Disabled/carer claimants |
£0.00 – £264.40 |
£264.41 - £321.60 |
£321.61 - £378.80 |
£378.81 - £436.00 |
£436.01 - 493.20 |
|
Bands |
Band 1 |
Band 2 |
Band 3 |
Band 4 |
Band 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Single |
£0.00 – £104.20 |
£104.21 – £156.30 |
£156.31 – |
£208.41 – |
£260.51 – |
|
Couple |
£0.00 – £144.20 |
£144.21– £196.30 |
£196.31 – |
£248.41 – |
£300.51 – |
|
Lone parent with 1 child |
£0.00 – £159.20 |
£159.21 – £211.30 |
£211.31 – |
£263.41 – |
£315.51 – |
|
Couple with 1 child |
£0.00 – £199.20 |
£199.21 – |
£251.31 – |
£303.41 – |
£355.51– |
|
Lone parent with 2+ children |
£0.00 – £214.20 |
£214.21 – |
£266.31 – |
£318.41 – |
£370.51 – |
|
Couple with 2+ children |
£0.00 – £254.20 |
£254.21 – |
£306.31 – |
£358.41 – |
£410.51 – |
|
Bands |
Band 1 |
Band 2 |
Band 3 |
Band 4 |
Band 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Disabled/carer claimants |
£0.00 – £254.20 |
£254.21 – |
£306.31 – |
£358.41 – |
£410.51 – |
+ Non-dependant Deduction
There may be deductions made for any non-dependent that you have living with you. A non-dependent is someone over the age of 18 who lives with you on a non-commercial basis.
For example adult sons or daughters, elderly parents, other family members or friends.
Housing benefit and council tax reduction will normally be reduced if a non-dependent lives in the household. There is an expectation that non-dependents will make a contribution towards their living costs, including rent, council tax and food, etc.
The amount they pay towards the above is not taken into account. Standard weekly deductions are made from the claimant's housing benefit and council tax reduction entitlement instead. This is shown in the table below:
| Non-dependent deductions | Housing benefit deductions April 2024 |
|---|---|
| Aged 25 or over and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) main phase | £19.30 |
| Aged under 25 and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) assessment phase | Nil |
| Aged under 25 and on ESA (IR) main phase | £19.30 |
| In receipt of Universal Credit without any earned income Aged under 25 | Nil |
| In receipt of Universal Credit without any earned income Aged 25 or over | £19.30 |
| In receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (contribution based) | £19.30 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit (guarantee or savings credit) | Nil |
| Aged 18 or over and works 16+ hours per week and has: | |
| Gross income less than £176 | £19.30 |
| Gross income not less than £176 but less than £255.99 | £44.40 |
| Gross income not less than £256 but less than £333.99 | £60.95 |
| Gross income not less than £334 but less than £444.99 | £99.65 |
| Gross income not less than £445 but less than £533.99 | £113.50 |
| Gross income not less than £554 | £124.55 |
| Any other non-dependant (even nil income) | £16.45 |
| Non-dependent deductions | Council Tax Reduction deductions April 2024 - pension age claimants | Council Tax Reduction deductions April 2024 - working age claimants |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 25 or over and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) main phase | Nil | Nil |
| Aged under 25 and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) assessment phase | Nil | Nil |
| Aged under 25 and on ESA (IR) main phase | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of Universal Credit without any earned income | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (contribution based) | £4.90 | £10.00 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit (guarantee or savings credit) | Nil | Nil |
| Aged 18 or over and works 16+ hours per week and has: | ||
| Gross income less than £235.99 | £4.90 | £10.00 |
| Gross income not less than £236 but less than £409.99 | £10.05 | £10.00 |
| Gross income not less than £410 but less than £510 | £12.60 | £10.00 |
| Gross income not less than £510 | £15.10 | £10.00 |
| Any other non-dependant (even nil income) | £4.90 | £10.00 |
| Non-dependent deductions | Housing benefit deductions April 2023 |
|---|---|
| Aged 25 or over and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) main phase | £18.10 |
| Aged under 25 and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) assessment phase | Nil |
| Aged under 25 and on ESA (IR) main phase | £18.10 |
| In receipt of Universal Credit without any earned income Aged under 25 | Nil |
| In receipt of Universal Credit without any earned income Aged 25 or over | £18.10 |
| In receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (contribution based) | £18.10 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit (guarantee or savings credit) | Nil |
| Aged 18 or over and works 16+ hours per week and has: | |
| Gross income less than £162 | £18.10 |
| Gross income not less than £162 but less than £235.99 | £41.60 |
| Gross income not less than £236 but less than £307.99 | £57.10 |
| Gross income not less than £308 but less than £409.99 | £93.40 |
| Gross income not less than £410 but less than £511 | £106.35 |
| Gross income not less than £511 | £116.75 |
| Any other non-dependant (even nil income) | £16.45 |
| Non-dependent deductions | Council Tax Reduction deductions April 2023 - pension age claimants | Council Tax Reduction deductions April 2023 - working age claimants |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 25 or over and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) main phase | Nil | Nil |
| Aged under 25 and on IS/JSA (IB), ESA (IR) assessment phase | Nil | Nil |
| Aged under 25 and on ESA (IR) main phase | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of Universal Credit without any earned income | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (contribution based) | £4.60 | £10.00 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit (guarantee or savings credit) | Nil | Nil |
| Aged 18 or over and works 16+ hours per week and has: | ||
| Gross income less than £235.99 | £4.60 | £10.00 |
| Gross income not less than £236 but less than £409.99 | £9.40 | £10.00 |
| Gross income not less than £410 but less than £510 | £11.80 | £10.00 |
| Gross income not less than £510 | £14.15 | £10.00 |
| Any other non-dependant (even nil income) | £4.60 | £10.00 |
No non-dependant deductions will be made if the claimant or their partner:
- Is blind or has recently regained their sight
- Receives the care component of Disability Living Allowance payable at any rate
- Receives the daily living component at either the standard or enhanced rate of Personal Independent Payment
- Receives Attendance Allowance payable at any rate
Apply for Council Tax Reduction
If you don’t qualify for Council Tax Reduction but you are suffering financial hardship and are unable to make your Council Tax payments, you may be entitled to some additional help from our Exceptional Circumstances Payment Fund.
