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Council Tax Support

Council Tax support helps people on low income to pay their council tax. The scheme is approved locally for working age customers and nationally for pension age customers.

The amount of Council Tax support is calculated by looking at:

  • household income, including benefits and pensions
  • personal circumstances
  • any savings you have
  • if your children live with you
  • if other adults live with you

 

Do I qualify?

You can apply for Council Tax support if you’re:

  • liable to pay for Council Tax; and
  • on a low income

You will not qualify if you and your partner have over £16,000 in savings and investments, unless you are in receipt of a State Pension Guarantee Credit.

 

Apply for Council Tax support

 

Second adult rebate

We can award second adult rebate if you:

  • are liable for Council Tax
  • are of State Pension credit age
  • share your home with another adult aged 18 or over who does not pay rent and is on a low income

The person you share your home with must not be:

  • your partner (married or unmarried)
  • liable for the Council Tax
  • a joint owner or joint tenant
  • already receiving a discount on your Council Tax bill, for example you must not be getting a student discount

Apply for second adult rebate

 

How is the discount applied?

We will credit your Council Tax account with any discount and send you a revised bill for the year.

 

If anything changes

You’ll need to tell us immediately if anything changes that may affect how much Council Tax support you receive such as:

  • someone moves in or out of your home
  • someone in your house turns 18
  • your income changes
  • a change in the amount of capital or savings you have

You'll need to tell us within 21 days. If you do not, you may have been overpaid and you'll have to pay back the amount that you were not entitled to. We'll deduct the amount you've been overpaid from your Council Tax account and send you a bill. The bill will show how much you will need to pay and when the payment is due.

Report a change of circumstances

 

Can I appeal?

If you do not agree with a decision we make about your Council Tax support claim you can ask us to:

  • explain our decision
  • look at your claim again

You can contact us in writing or at benefits@gloucester.gov.uk. You’ll need to tell us why you do not agree with the decision. You must include the Benefit claim number in your email to us and the word claim in the subject of your email. For example Claim [Your Benefit claim number].

You can make an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal if:
  • we look at our decision again and you still disagree; or
  • you ask us to look at your claim again and we do not reply within 2 months