How to claim Council Tax Support (CTS), who can apply, and backdated claims
Who can claim?
You can claim Council Tax Support if you pay Council Tax and are on a low income.
If you wish to see if you’re eligible before you claim, use our online Council Tax Support calculator.
Who can't claim?
Usually you won’t be able to claim if:
- you and any partner have more than £16,000 in savings and investments (unless you receive the guarantee element of Pension Credit Savings Credit)
- you are not liable to pay Council Tax at your address
Please note pre-April 2024 we have different rules for working age claims that may affect your entitlement before that period
How to claim
To make a claim for Council Tax Support you'll need to know:
- your National Insurance number
- your income
- what is in your bank accounts
- details of anyone living in your home
Make a claim for Council Tax Support
If you rent your home, our online form will also check if you're entitled to Housing Benefit.
We will make a decision on your claim when we have all the evidence we need. We'll contact you if we need further information.
We will send you a letter to tell you our decision.
What you’ll get
How much you get depends on:
- your personal circumstances
- how much money you have coming in
- what savings you have
- whether there are any non-dependants in your home
How you will receive your Council Tax Support
If you're entitled to Council Tax Support, the letter we send will confirm how much per week you're entitled to. We'll calculate how much this weekly award amounts to over the rest of the financial year, and take this off your Council Tax bill. We'll send you a revised bill stating your new instalments, and what you need to pay (if anything).
Claim dates and backdated claims
Your claim will usually start from the Monday after we receive it.
If you are pension age, we will backdate your claim for up to three months. You must provide details of your income and capital for the period before you claimed.
If you are under pension age, you must state on your claim form or write to us if you want us to backdate your claim. You must give a valid reason why you were unable to apply for your benefit earlier. We look at each case individually.
The maximum period a benefit claim can be backdated is one month from the date we receive the request.