What is Council Tax Benefit?

Main Council Tax Benefit

Main Council Tax Benefit is a Government scheme to help you pay your council tax if you are on a low income or get some state benefits:

  • you will usually get all your council tax paid (unless there other adults living with you) if you get any of the following:
    • income-based Jobseekers’ Allowance
    • Income Support
    • guaranteed Pension Credit,
  • if you are on a low income, you can also get council tax benefit. The amount you get will depend on your income, the amount of Council Tax you have to pay, the amount of money you and your family need to live on, and whether other adults share your home.

You cannot normally get main Council Tax Benefit if you have savings of £16,000 or more, but some pensioners are excluded from this rule. Please contact the Benefit Service for more details.

In some cases, you can have your bill reduced, regardless of your own circumstances (including earnings and savings) if someone else who lives with you gets certain benefits or is on a low income. This is called Second Adult Rebate

Second Adult Rebate

Even if you are not on a low income, you can claim second adult rebate if you are responsible for the Council Tax and you share your home with one or more adults who are:

  • over 18 and not paying you rent; and
  • not your spouse or partner, and
  • they are not responsible for paying the Council Tax, and
  • they get certain benefits such as job seekers allowance or income support, or they are on a low income.

Your own income and savings are not taken into account.

You could get up to 25% off your Council Tax bill.

Second Adult Rebate can only be paid if the circumstances described above apply and you are the only person who is responsible for paying the Council Tax (unless the other responsible person(s) is/are not counted for Council Tax purposes).

Who can claim?

You can claim Council Tax Benefit if you are the person (or one of the people) who is responsible for paying the Council Tax on your home.

How to apply for Council Tax Benefit

» There are several ways to apply for Council Tax Benefit

Civil partnerships and same sex couples

On 5 December 2005, the Civil Partnership Act came into force, giving legal recognition to same sex couples.

For Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit purposes, this means that same sex couples who are living together in a Civil Partnership, or who are living together as if they were in a Civil Partnership, must now claim these benefits jointly. We will assess your claim based on your joint income and circumstances.

If this applies to your claim, please complete all the details for you and your partner on these forms. In addition, if you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit but then start living with someone as a couple at a later date, you must tell us about the change.

When will my benefit start?

Your benefit will usually start:

  • From the Monday after we receive your form
  • Or after you first contacted us asking to claim. You must get your completed form to us within a month of contacting us

If you delay, you may get less benefit.

If you think you might be entitled, make a claim as soon as possible so you don't lose out.

Backdating

Sometimes we can pay benefit from an earlier date if there is a continuous good reason why you did not claim from that date.

If you want us to consider paying your benefit from an earlier date, tell us when you want benefit paid from and why you did not claim earlier.

How is it paid?

Your Council Tax Benefit is automatically taken off your Council Tax bill, and any Council Tax payments may be reduced accordingly.

» More about how we pay benefits

Excess (or overpaid) Council Tax Benefit

If you are paid too much Council Tax Benefit (CTB), it is called Excess Benefit. If Excess Benefit occurs, we will write and tell you. The letter will explain:

  • why we gave you too much benefit
  • how much the amount of excess benefit is
  • if you have to pay back the amount
  • how you can appeal if you think this is wrong

In most cases, this will change the amount of Council Tax you have to pay. If so, we will send you a revised Council Tax bill showing your new payments.

What if I don't agree with your decision?

If you do not agree with our decision, you can ask for an explanation, or for us to look at your claim again, or make an appeal.

» More about Council Tax Benefit Appeals

Contact us

» Contact Revenues and Benefits