Council Tax Reduction is a scheme to assist people on a low income with their Council Tax bill.
The amount of reduction you can claim will depend on your circumstances.
If you are eligible, the way you will receive this will be through a reduction in your Council Tax bill.
You can use a benefits calculator to find out if you are eligible.
Each council has their own Council Tax Reduction scheme - find out more about Herefordshire Council's Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Check if you can claim Council Tax Reduction
You may get help if you are responsible for paying the Council Tax bill and:
- You are on a low income whether from benefits, low-paid work or self-employed work
- Neither you or your partner have more than £6,000 in savings and capital, unless you are on Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
- You get Universal Credit, because it only helps with your rent and not your Council Tax. You are likely to be eligible for Council Tax Reduction if you are on Universal Credit
If you have a partner, their income and savings will be included when we work out how much you can get.
You can't get help if:
- You have more than £6,000 in savings or capital (for working-age people) or more than £16,000 (if you are pensionable age)
- You are an asylum seeker, unless you have been given refugee status to remain in the UK
- You are in the UK illegally
- You have been admitted to the UK on condition that you have 'no recourse to public funds'. This means that you must not claim benefits
- You are a sponsored immigrant and have lived here for less than five years (unless your sponsor has died)
- You have lived outside the UK in the last two years
- You are an EU national who became a resident in the UK before 1 January 2021, but you have not applied for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) on or before 30 June 2021.
Apply for help with your Council Tax
Manage your Council Tax Reduction claim
If you are already receiving a reduction in your Council Tax then you can check your claim online. You can see the amount you are receiving, the information we have used to work out your entitlement, your letters from us and much more.
Tell us about a change in circumstances
If you are currently receiving Council Tax Reduction, it is very important you tell us if any of your circumstances change so that you receive your correct entitlement. You will be expected to pay back any amounts you have received if you are not entitled to receive them.