Help with council tax bills
*PLEASE BE AWARE THIS IS AN OLDER POST AND THERE MAY BE A MORE UP TO DATE POST, OR UPDATED INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ *
Council tax can be a significant outgoing for many of us. Though residents may have mixed feelings about paying council tax, it’s a ‘priority bill’, which means that missing payments could result in the risk of losing your home. While there’s no sensible option to ignore your council tax bill, there are discounts and exemptions available that may help to lower the monthly cost.
In this blog post, our Debt Team Leader Elaine talks us through some of the help available with council tax bills.
Got a question? Speak to our dedicated advice team by calling free on 0808 2787 801.
Check for exemptions
Some properties are exempt from council tax altogether, for example some empty properties, or properties used for certain purposes. Other properties are exempt from council tax for a certain time while empty. They might then be subject to a discount if they remain unoccupied after the period of exemption comes to an end.
Some properties are exempt because of who lives in them - for example, a students’ halls of residence, armed forces barracks, diplomatic residence, or a property occupied by people with severe mental impairment.
You can check whether your property is exempt from council tax, and apply for an exemption, on the Wigan Borough Council website.
Find out about discounts
There are a number of discounts available to reduce the cost of council tax. If you're disabled, you may be eligible for the disability reduction scheme. This means that a disabled person doesn't pay more council tax because they live in a larger property than they would have needed if they weren't disabled, or lives in a house where the living area available for normal use is reduced. If you qualify for the disability reduction scheme, you might also be eligible for a discount and Council Tax Reduction.
You may be eligible for other council tax discounts, for example if there are fewer than 2 adults living in your property. Some people are disregarded, which means that the council tax will be calculated as if they don't live there. This might then mean that the person liable to pay the council tax is eligible for a discount. If you’re a care leaver, you may be eligible for a discount. You can find out more about discounts and apply here.
Council Tax Reduction
If you receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for Council Tax Reduction. In Wigan, to apply for Council Tax Reduction you must be a person whose name is on the Council Tax bill.
You may qualify if you are:
On Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit
On Pension Credit, Guaranteed Credit and in some cases Savings Credit
Working and on low pay (including people who are self employed)
On a low income. For example, you might only get a retirement pension or be getting social security benefits
You can find out more about Council Tax Reduction and apply here.
