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Council Tax Benefit

• Who can claim Council Tax Benefit?
• What type of Council Tax Benefit can I claim?
• How do I know if my income is low enough to qualify for Main Scheme Benefit?
• What information will I have to provide to claim Main Scheme Benefit?
• How does the number of people living in my home affect my Main Scheme Benefit?
• How do I qualify for Second Adult Rebate?
• When will my claim begin?
• How will my Council Tax Benefit be paid?
• What if my circumstances change?

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Who can claim Council Tax Benefit?

• If you live in accommodation which you rent, we will work out if you qualify for Council Tax Benefit from your Housing Benefit application form.
  • how much your weekly income is;
  • how much savings you have;
  • how many dependent children you have;
  • how many non-dependants are living with you and their income.
• Or you can download the form by clicking here.

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What type of Council Tax Benefit can I claim?

• There are two types of Council Tax Benefit - Main Scheme Benefit and Second Adult Rebate.
• Main Scheme Benefit is based on the income and circumstances of the person (and their family) making the claim.
• Second Adult Rebate is based on the income of any other adults who live with a single person who has to pay Council Tax (for example, a grown-up son or daughter living with a single parent).

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How do I know if my income is low enough to qualify for Main Scheme Benefit?

• You won't necessarily know unless you make a claim.
• If you are not sure, please make a claim - you have nothing to lose.

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What information will I have to provide to claim Main Scheme Benefit?

• You will have to fill in a claim form, which asks questions about your income, the number of people living in your house, their income and so on.
• You will have to provide evidence of your income and savings by showing us your wage slips, benefit book, bank statements and so on.
• Although we ignore certain types of income (such as Attendance Allowance or War Widow's Pension) you must still tell us if you are getting one of these, as in some circumstances you may get more benefit.

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How does the number of people living in my home affect my Main Scheme Benefit?

• If you have someone living with you who is over 18 and is not your partner (for example, a grown-up son or daughter) we have to use a 'non-dependant deduction' to work out your benefit. This is because the non-dependant should be contributing to the household costs.
• These deductions are set out at a number of different levels, according to the non-dependant's income.
• The deductions are set by the Government and we have to use them, even if the non-dependant does not contribute to the household costs.
• Generally speaking, most people who have non-dependants in their household receive a lower amount of benefit.

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How do I qualify for Second Adult Rebate?

• If the second adult (or adults) is receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you may qualify for the highest award of 25%.
• This percentage reduces if the second adult (or adults) is on a low income but is not receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
• You do not need to tell us about your own income or capital (savings and investments), but you must make the claim for Second Adult Rebate yourself.
• You cannot get Main Scheme Benefit and Second Adult Rebate, so if you qualify for both we will work out which gives you the most benefit and give you that amount.

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When will my claim begin?

• We usually pay your benefit from the Monday following the date we received your claim, as long as we receive all the necessary evidence we need within 28 days of this date.
• If you become entitled to Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you can have your benefit backdated to the Monday following the date that these state benefits started, as long as you make your claim within 28 days of the date they started.
• Council Tax Benefit is not automatically backdated so you must claim as soon as possible.
• You can ask in writing to have your claim backdated, giving the reasons why you did not claim earlier. We will look at each case on its merits, but you will have to show that there is a good reason for your claim to be backdated.

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How will my Council Tax Benefit be paid?

• If you qualify for Council Tax Benefit, it will be paid to your Council Tax account and will reduce the amount of your monthly instalments.

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What if my circumstances change?

• You must tell us straightaway about any changes to your circumstances - for example, if your income changes or if the number of people living in your household changes.
• If you do not tell us about any changes, you might not be getting the right amount of benefit. If you are paid too much benefit, we will ask you to pay the money back.