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Council Tax

Council Tax support

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.

Important changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme

From 1 April 2025 all working-age households must pay at least 35% of their Council Tax bill.

We have also made non-dependent deductions simpler. There are now just two flat rate deductions:

£8 per week for non-dependants who are “out of work” (including full-time students)
£20 per week for non-dependants who are “in work”

If you already get Council Tax Support, we know these changes might feel tough. But by having everyone contribute something, we can continue to support our most vulnerable residents, keep essential services running and balance our budgets.

Pensioners are not affected by the changes to the Council Tax Support scheme.

Detailed information about these changes has been sent to all households that currently receive Council Tax Support. Read our FAQs for more information on the new scheme.

Council Tax Support is a benefit applied to your Council Tax bill.

The amount of support you could get depends on the total earnings of both you and your partner. If there are other adults living in your home, the amount of support will be reduced based on their earnings.

Who can claim

You could get Council Tax Support if you live in Brent and you’re:

living in the property as your main home
liable to pay Council Tax at that the property
a working age person with savings under £6,000
a pensioner with savings under £16,000

Check if you are eligible

Before you apply, use our benefits calculator to check if you are eligible and how much you might get.The calculator should be used as a guide only. The estimate is based on the information you have entered and does not guarantee entitlement.

How to apply

You can apply for Council Tax Support online using My Account.

If you don't already have a My Account, you will need to register first. Then you can access the application form.
The person claiming Council Tax Support must complete the form themselves.
The form will ask about you and any people who live with you, you will need to provide details of income, capital and other benefits currently received.

Apply for Council Tax support

Before you apply for Council Tax Support, there are several other discounts, disregards and exemptions available that you might be eligible for.

For people on Universal Credit

Help with paying your Council Tax will still be provided through the Council Tax Support Scheme. You can indicate that you want to claim this when you make your claim for Universal Credit or apply using the form on this page.

For people receiving disability benefits

Everyone will need to pay at least 35% of their Council Tax, including those on disability benefits like Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payments (PIP), or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). We know this might be worrying. Please check if you qualify for any Council Tax discounts or exemptions. You can also look into Brent’s Council Tax Hardship Fund for extra help if you’ve tried other options.

How much support you can get

If you are of working age, you will pay a minimum contribution of 35% of your Council Tax bill.

The amount of Council Tax Support you can receive will depend on the weekly earnings of you and your partner. This is calculated in an income banding scheme.

Claimant and partner's income per week	% of Council Tax reduced
£0 - £80	65%
£81 - £110	50%
£110 - £150	30%
£151 - £250	20%
£250+	0%

Your income does not include any DWP or HMRC benefits and any income from foster caring.

Non-dependent adult reductions

A non-dependant is a person over the age of 18 who lives in your home but is not your partner.

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	£8
Working	£20

Documents you'll need

When you apply, you may need to provide evidence of your identity, income, savings and other capital.

Please provide these documents for all members of the household:

Identity

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

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.

Further help paying your Council Tax bill

If you are worried about being able to pay your council tax bill when it arrives, there is help and support available.

Brent Hubs: Visit one of our seven Brent Hubs for advice and support with benefits, money management, debt and emergency assistance.
Cost of Living Support: Get help and advice on managing everyday costs in our dedicated Cost of Living pages
Council Tax Hardship Fund: If you are having severe difficulty paying your bill, you may be able to apply for a Council Tax Hardship Fund.