Council Tax Support

Contents

1. Overview
2. Who can apply
3. How much you will get
4. How to apply
5. When and how it will be paid
6. View your account online
7. Second Adult Rebate (living with an adult who isn't your partner)
8. Changes in your circumstances or address
9. Appeal a decision
10. If you have been overpaid
11. Housing Benefit

Overview

Council Tax Support (also called Council Tax Reduction) is a benefit, which helps you pay your Council Tax.

For full information about the scheme, see Council Tax reduction scheme.

Who can apply

You may be eligible for Council Tax Support if:

• you are on a low income, or
• you share your home with someone who isn't your partner, see Second Adult Rebate

You need to:

• be aged 18 or over
• have to pay Council Tax on your home

Anyone who pays Council Tax can claim Council Tax Support:

• You can claim Council Tax Support even if you are working
• You do not have to be receiving any other benefits
• You can claim Council Tax Support if you already get a discount on your Council Tax, for example, if you live alone
• You don't need to have paid any national insurance contributions

You can live in a:

• Council property
• Privately rented or housing association accommodation
• Property you are buying or have already bought

How much you will get

The amount of Council Tax Support you will get depends on:

• The money that you and your partner have coming in, including earnings, some benefits and tax credits and things like occupational pensions
• The savings that you and your partner may have
• Your circumstances, such as your age, the size of family and whether you or any of your family are disabled

The support scheme is broken down into 4 groups.

Within each group, there are 5 income bands based on income levels and percentage of support needed.

The table below shows the different groups and what band they fall into depending on the amount of weekly income:

For each group, if you fall into:

• Band 1 you will get 90% of your Council Tax paid for you
• Band 2 you will get 85% of your Council Tax paid for you
• Band 3 you will get 80% of your Council Tax paid for you
• Band 4 you will get 60% of your Council Tax paid for you
• Band 5 you will get 30% of your Council Tax paid for you

If you are at State Pension Age, the level of Council Tax Support you get is set by the government, rather than by the Council. You still apply in the same way.

The funding provided by Central Government to South Tyneside Council, in respect of Council Tax Support has reduced year on year since 2013 when local support schemes were introduced.

Nevertheless, the local scheme adopted by South Tyneside Council continues to protect the most vulnerable residents in our Borough. 

Disregarded income

When working out entitlement to Council Tax Support, we do not take the following income into account:

• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Child Benefit
• Child Maintenance
• War Disablement Benefits
• Carers Allowance
• Limited Capability for Work and carers component of Universal Credit
• Support and work components of Employment Support Allowance

We also apply an earnings disregard of £25.

If you have more than £16,000 in savings you will not qualify.

How to apply for Council Tax Support

If you think you are eligible, make sure you apply straight away or you might lose out on benefit.

If you have made a claim for Universal Credit and you have notified Universal Credit that you wish to claim Council Tax support, you do not need to make a seperate claim for Council Tax support. 

Universal Credit will notify us of your claim and your Council Tax Support will be processed accordingly.

It's important to answer all the questions fully and provide as much information as you can.

You can apply online:

Claim Council Tax Support online

To process your claim for Council Tax Support we will need to see proof of:

• identity for both you and your partner
• national insurance number for you and your partner
• all income for you and your partner
• capital for both you and your partner

We always need to see original documents. Copies will not be accepted.

Evidence can be uploaded online, or sent by post. Any documents posted to the Council will be returned by second-class post. The Benefits Service will not accept responsibility for the loss of any documents sent by post.

Council Tax Support will not be paid until all the required information is provided. 

When and how it will be paid

We can only pay Council Tax Support from the Monday after we receive your application form.

Your Council Tax Support will be taken straight off your Council Tax bill. We will send you a new Council Tax bill.  

Backdated benefits

If you are of working age and claim other benefits, you may be able to get your Council Tax Support backdated to 1 April 2024. 

If you are of pension age and claim other benefits, you may be able to get your Council Tax Support backdated up to a maximum of 3 months.

For more information, see Backdated benefits.

View your account online

Log in to your Council Tax Support account to:

• view your Council Tax Support claim online
• view next and previous payments
• sign up to receive notifications by email (e-notifications)

Log in to view Council Tax Support online

Second Adult Rebate (living with an adult who isn't your partner)

If you share your home with someone who isn't your partner, you may qualify for Second Adult Rebate.

Changes in your circumstances or address

If you get Council Tax Support, by law you need to tell us if your circumstances change.

To find out what changes you need to tell us about, and how to tell us, see changes in circumstances or address.

Appeal a decision

Find out what to do if you think your benefit is wrong, and how to appeal a decision.

If you have been overpaid

What to do if you have been paid too much Council Tax Support.

Housing Benefit

If you live in rented accommodation you may also be entitled to Housing Benefit.