If you need help to pay your Council Tax bill, you might be eligible for Council Tax Reduction.
Council Tax Reduction and second adult rebate (see below) do not affect other benefits you get.
We credit any reduction to your Council Tax account to reduce your total bill. You'll receive a new bill showing the reduced amount of Council Tax you have to pay.
Make a claim
You can make a claim online. Find our more about how to make a benefit claim.
If you have applied for Universal Credit and said you want help to pay your Council Tax, your details will be sent to us automatically. You do not need to make a separate claim for Council Tax Reduction. Contact us if you do not hear from us by the time you receive your first payment of Universal Credit.
How we calculate your Council Tax Reduction
To work out your Council Tax Reduction, we’ll look at:
- money you and your partner or civil partner have coming in, including earnings, some benefits and tax credits and things like occupational pensions
- your savings and your partner’s or civil partner’s savings
- your circumstances, for example your age, the size of your family and their ages, whether you or any of your family are disabled, and whether anyone who lives with you could help with the rent
Adults living in your property other than you or your partner (known as ‘non-dependants’) might reduce the amount of help with your Council Tax you can receive. The following table provides further details:
| Circumstance | Working age | Pensioners |
|---|---|---|
| Non-dependants receiving Income Support, income-based JSA or Pension Credit | No reduction | No reduction |
| Non-dependants in remunerative work with gross weekly income of less than £256 | £5.25 | £4.90 |
| Non-dependants in remunerative work with gross weekly income from £256 to £444.99 | £10.50 | £10.05 |
| Non-dependants in remunerative work with gross weekly income from £445 to £553.99 | £13.25 | £12.60 |
| Non-dependants in remunerative work with gross weekly income of £554 or over | £15.85 | £15.10 |
| Non-dependants aged 18 or over and not in remunerative work | £5.25 | £4.90 |
| Dwelling occupied by a student or students and one or more people on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension Credit | Not applicable | 100% off Council Tax bill |
Eligibility
You are not eligible if:
- You have savings of over £16,000, unless you’re aged 60 or over and getting the ‘guarantee credit’ of pension credit
- You’re an asylum seeker or sponsored to be in the UK
If you’re struggling to pay your Council Tax bill, and you’ve looked at all other options, we may be able to offer you a discretionary discount to help make your Council Tax instalments more affordable.
- Find out about other ways to get money off your Council Tax bill.
Second adult rebate (pensioners only)
Second adult rebate is for single people who pay Council Tax and share their home with another adult who is:
- on a low income
- aged 18 or over
- not your partner or civil partner
- not paying you rent
- not paying Council Tax themselves
We work out if you qualify for a second adult rebate at the same time as assessing you for a Council Tax reduction.
You may be able to get a second adult rebate even if you're:
- not entitled to Council Tax reduction
- only entitled to benefit which would cover 25 per cent or less of your Council Tax
| Reason for Council Tax reduction | Percentage of reduction |
|---|---|
| Rebate for second adults on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Pension Credit | 25% |
| If the second adult's gross weekly income is less than £265 | 15% |
| If the second adult's gross weekly income is between £265 and £344 | 7.5% |
- If you're entitled to both Council Tax reduction and second adult rebate, you'll get the one that gives you most money.
- Your income and savings won't affect second adult rebate as it's based on the other person's circumstances.
