Who Can Claim?
To claim Council Tax Benefit you must:
- Be liable to pay council tax for the property
- Either be entitled to Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based), Employment and Support Allowance (Income related) or have a low income
People with over £16,000 in savings will not normally qualify for any benefit.
How much can be awarded?
Benefit can only be awarded towards the eligible council tax for a property. In some circumstances the benefit awarded will be less than the actual council tax charged
The maximum amount of benefit is 100% of the eligible council tax bill, and this amount will normally be received by a person on Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based), Employment and Support Allowance (Income related).
How it is worked out?
Each year the Government issues guideline figures indicating the amount people require to meet their basic needs. These figures vary depending on a persons circumstances. The income of a person claiming benefit is compared to the Government's figure, and if it is the same, or less, then they will normally received 100% benefit. If it is more then the amount of weekly benefit is reduced by 65p for every extra £1 of income.
The amount of benefit may also be reduced if there are other adults living in the household, for example children over the age of 18.
The regulations governing the calculation of benefit are very complex and because of this the Council needs detailed information about a person, and their households circumstances, before a calculation can be made. If you think that you could qualify for benefit you should complete an application form and return it to us.
Backdated Claims
If you think you have 'good cause' for a late claim please make sure that you fill in a Benefit Application Form for the period in question and send the form to us together with a letter stating the reasons why you want you claim backdating. You can print out a form by clicking on the form below.
Click on the link below to download our form
We have also produced a short guide to help you
If you need further help, then visit us at Moore Street East or one of our sugeries across the borough
Still not sure if you qualify? Don't miss out, make a claim.
