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Council Tax support

Have you had a text from us?

If you are late in paying you Council Tax, you may get a text or from us. This communication is genuine, however if you are unsure, please log in and check Council Tax account on My Account or pay online. There is no need to contact us if you have already paid.

Council Tax support

If you are a resident, financially vulnerable and need help to pay your Council Tax, you can apply for Council Tax support.

Please be aware that Council Tax Support is not considered within your Universal Credit application with the Department for Work and Pensions. If you need help with your Council Tax, you must apply for Council Tax Support with us.

The amount of support you get is calculated based on the combined earnings of the person claiming and their partner, with a deduction taken based on the earnings of any other adult living in the household.

If you have a moderate to high income, it is unlikely that you will be entitled to any help.

How to claim

To apply for Council Tax support you need to complete the online application form that is available in My Account.

Apply for Council Tax support

Who can claim

You can claim Council Tax support if you:

  • are liable to pay Council Tax for your property
  • are living in the property as your main home
  • have less than £6,000 in savings.

How much reduction will you get?

Your income will exclude any DWP or HMRC benefits and any income in respect of caring for a foster child.

Claimant and partner's income per week

% of Council Tax reduced
£0 - £80 100%
£81 - £110 80%
£110 - £150 50%
£151 - £250 30%

Non-dependent adult reductions

Non-dependent deductions are made to the maximum entitlement shown in the table above.

Working age, non-dependent's income

Deduction per week
Not working £5
Working (includes Carer’s Allowance income) - income up to £150 per week £10
Working - income between £150 and £200 per week £15
Working - income over £200 per week £20

Documents you'll need

If we need to ask you for evidence to support your claim, here are the documents we may ask you to provide.

Identity

Please provide these documents for all members of the household:

Type What to provide
Identity Either a current passport or full UK driving licence. 

If you are not a British citizen and are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family must also apply to the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) to claim Housing Benefit. Find more information on applying to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status) on GOV.UK.
National Insurance Number Your National Insurance card, a recent payslip or a letter from the Job Centre or Tax Credits showing your number.

Income

Please provide these documents for all adults in the household:

Type What to provide
Wage slips Your last two-monthly, five-weekly or three fortnightly payslips.
Self-employed Complete and return our self-employed form. You will need to have an active claim reference number to complete this form so if you don’t have this yet please ensure that you let us know that you are Self Employed in your application form and wait for an Assessment Officer to get in touch with you. We may request your audited accounts at a later date. We cannot accept a tax return to the HMRC.
Proof of employment Your employment contract
Tax credits and state pension or benefits You can just tell us that there has been a change. We will check with Department for Work and Pensions or the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) what your current entitlement is.

Savings, assets and investments

Please provide these documents for the person claiming and their partner:

Type What to provide
Bank account Your last two months' bank statements
Building society An updated building society book
Shares Your share certificate
Property A letter from your mortgage lender showing the outstanding mortgage on any additional properties that you own. A tenancy agreement showing the rent you receive from tenants, if applicable and an indication of the current value of the property.

Contact the Council Tax support team

Phone: 0208 937 1800

You can contact the team between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday

Website: Contact us online

Did you know that by signing up for My Account, you'll be able to answer most of your Council Tax questions?