Discretionary Council Tax Hardship Scheme

If you’re experiencing exceptional hardship and it wasn't your fault, you could qualify for help to reduce your Council Tax bill.

To qualify for the Discretionary Council Tax Hardship Scheme, you must show that:

• the amount of money you have coming in is a lot less than your outgoings and you have no savings
• you have applied for all other help such as benefits and reductions

You can apply for help under this scheme even if you are not permitted access to public funds.

Our budget is limited so the help is for a limited amount and for a short time.

You can apply if you are experiencing severe financial or personal hardship caused by events outside your control.

Read the full details of our scheme in the Waltham Forest Discretionary Housing Payment and Discretionary Council Tax Hardship Scheme (PDF)

To apply you’ll need to complete an application form and give:

• a summary of your reason for applying
• any evidence to support your reason
• a statement of how this reduction will help you and what will happen next

You will also need to give evidence to prove financial or personal hardship in the form of:

• a completed income and expenditure form
• bank statement
• utility bills
• evidence of rent and mortgage
• employment details with salary
• evidence of benefits you get

We will make a decision in one month after we receive your application.

We may ask you to provide further evidence. If so, we will make a decision one month after we receive your evidence.

Appeals

If you disagree with our decision, you can ask for a review, which we will do in one month from the date of the original decision letter.