Council Tax Reductions
Whether you own your own home or pay rent, you may be eligible for Council Tax Benefit which could cut your bill by an average of £728 a year.
Does Our Place here’s you ask how do I know if I can claim?
Council Tax Benefit is means tested, so the help you get depends on how much income you receive and how much savings you have.
The amount you get also depends on who you live with, how much Council Tax you pay and whether you get any other benefits such as Disability or Carer’s Allowance.
You normally need to have less than £16,000 in savings, unless you get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, in which case there is no savings limit and your Council Tax could be fully covered.
So how do you claim? Start by contacting your local Council Housing and Council Tax Benefit section by following this link to the Direct Gov website.
Alternatively, visit the Department for Work and Pension website for more details at www.dwp.gov.uk.
There are other tips on reducing your Council Tax and Our Place has bulleted them below for your benefit.
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If you’re living alone you may be entitled to a 25% discount.
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If your house has a special feature to enable a disabled person to live in it, such as wheelchair space or an extra bathroom you may be eligible for the Disability Reduction Scheme.
If you share your home with someone on a low income, who isn’t jointly liable with you to pay your Council Tax and doesn’t pay you rent then you may be eligible for Second Adult Rebate.
