Council Tax Benefit

Apply for Council Tax Benefit

Council Tax benefit could help pay towards some, or all, of your Council Tax bill if you are on a low income, even if you own your own home. The maximum amount of Council Tax benefit payable is 100% of the charge. The amount of help will depend on your income, personal and family circumstances. The Council will ignore any income you may get from war pensions or widows pensions.

You may be eligible for Council Tax benefit if you:

• Claim state benefit e.g. Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or State Retirement Pension
• Work full or part time but earn a low wage. You might also have children and be claiming Working Families Tax Credit
• Share your home with one adult or more who cannot pay towards Council Tax

You can get an estimate of your Council Tax benefit using our online Benefits Calculator .

You can apply for Council Tax benefit by

• Downloading and completing the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Claim Form
• By contacting Financial Services.

Your Council Tax benefit will normally be deducted from the Council Tax bill that we send you.

If you are already receiving Housing or Council Tax benefit but the benefit payment amount does not cover your total rent/council tax bill, then you can apply for an additional Discretionary Housing Payment.

You can get more information about Council Tax benefit by visiting the Department for Work & Pensions website.