Making a council tax benefit claim

Council tax benefit can be paid to those who own their own homes or are liable to pay it on a rented property.

You can claim council tax benefit if you are:

• on income support or job seekers allowance
• on a low income
• employed or self employed  
• in receipt of pension credit.                     

About this service

You cannot get council tax benefit if:

• you and your partner have more than £16,000 in savings in total                         

A partner is someone you are married to, or someone you live with as if you are married to them.

What you must do

To claim council tax benefit, you must complete an application form.

Select this link to complete the application form online

What we must do

Once we assess your claim for council tax benefit, we will notify you in writing of our decision.

Some frequently asked questions

How do I claim?

If you claim income support or job seekers allowance the department of works and pensions (DWP). will give you a form for you to claim council tax benefit. Fill in the form and send it back to the DWP straight away. They will send the form to us with proof of your income support/jobseeker allowance claim.

If you have not made a claim through the DWP, for income support or job seekers allowance, you can still claim council tax benefit if you are on a low income. You will need to fill in the claim form marked 'council tax benefit'.

You can get an application form by contacting the council or you can make an on line claim on the council website.  

If you are in receipt of pension credit you can ask for a claim form from the pensions service.