Apply for Council Tax Support

To get Council Tax Support, you must:

• Be on a low income
• Be the person responsible for paying the Council Tax

The scheme provides help for residents on low incomes by reducing the amount of Council Tax payable.

Pension Age households will continue to be assessed using the National Scheme.

Working Age households will be assessed using an Income Banded Scheme.

You will not normally qualify for support if you have savings or investments of more than £10,000.

You may have more savings than this and still get Council Tax Support if both you and your partner are over the State Pension Credit age.

Use our Benefit Calculator to see what help you can get.

The Council has changed its scheme from 1 April 2021 for working age households to an income banded scheme. The scheme is made up of five income bands with a maximum reduction of 80%.  Income is defined as employment earnings only and does not take into account any benefits you may receive.

If you are not working and you are in receipt of benefits only such as Job Seekers Allowance, Employment & Support Allowance, Income Support or maximum Universal Credit, you will receive maximum reduction of 80% and fall into band 1.

If you have capital (savings) of over £10,000 you will not qualify for Council Tax Support.

A £5 per week deduction will be made from the weekly Council Tax liability where there is a non-dependent living in your household who is on out of work benefits. Where there is a working non-dependant in your household, a £10 per week deduction will be made. A non-dependant is an adult (over 18) living in the property who is not a partner, spouse, lodger or joint tenant.

If you are in receipt of disability benefits, you will receive an additional 5% Council Tax Support in Bands 2-5.

The table below shows the weekly net employment earnings (after tax/NI) and percentage reduction in the amount of Council Tax payable according to household size.

To see what band you should be in, look at your household size column i.e. no children, 1-2 children, 3+ children, then the amount of your net weekly employment earnings – this will then give you the band you will fall into and the % reduction you will receive in your Council Tax bill.

We need to see the documents that prove you need benefit before we can pay you. They can either be originals or copies.

You can send them to us using our online form or by post to:

Benefits
Maidstone House
King Street
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 6JQ

Evidence you need to provide:

• National Insurance numbers for you and your partner. Your partner needs to be someone you’re married to or living with as though you’re married.
• Identity for you and your partner. For example a passport or driving licence.
• Capital, savings and investments, including all bank and building society current and savings accounts.
• Earnings of everyone living with you, including your partner and anyone else over 18.
• Any other income.
• Benefits, allowances or pensions.
• Private rent and tenancy/recent mortgage statement or utility bill if you own your own home.

If you do not have all the evidence please complete the form first and send the rest as soon as you can. As long as you send all the evidence within a month your claim will start from the first day we receive your application form.  If you’re having problems getting your evidence together we can help. Just give us a call on 01622 602557.

If you are making a claim for Universal Credit, Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support or Employment and Support Allowance with the Department for Work and Pensions they may not pass them on to us.  Please make sure that you make a separate claim for Council Tax Support.

If you're not satisfied with our decision on your Council Tax Support, or how we have explained our decision, you can ask that we reconsider our decision.

Send your request in writing to:

You need to make it clear which decision you are asking us to reconsider and your reasons why. You need to do this within a month of the decision you are appealing against.

We will write to confirm or amend our original decision.

If you still don't agree with our decision you can send an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service, who will consider your case independently.

Telephone: 0300 123 1033
Fax: 01302 321447

Email: appeals@vts.gsi.gov.uk

An overpayment happens when we pay Council Tax Support which you weren’t entitled to. If we have paid too much Council Tax Support you will receive a new Council Tax bill which will tell you how much you need to pay.

You need to tell us of any changes in your circumstances, to prevent any overpayments. This is your responsibility – do not rely on anyone else such as the Jobcentre Plus, the Department for Work and Pensions or the Pension Service.

If a change does cause an overpayment we will send you a letter giving you the full details of the overpayment. The letter will tell you why the overpayment happened, the amount you were overpaid and the period of the overpayment. It will also tell you whether we intend to recover the overpayment and what to do if you disagree with the overpayment.

How is the overpayment paid back?

If we have paid you too much Council Tax Support you will be sent a revised bill which will tell you how much more you need to pay.

Second Adult Rebate is for single people who have to pay Council Tax and who have other adults (over the age of 18) on a low income living in the house who can't afford to help pay the Council Tax bill.

Please complete our online form  Apply for Council Tax Support

Other than your name and address we will only need to know the income and capital for the second adult(s).

Please supply the following:

• Identity documents - Passport or photo driving licence and one showing National Insurance number (original documents must be seen) These can be brought in to the Link office in King Street Maidstone.
• Capital, savings and investments, including all bank and building society current and savings accounts.
  Earnings
• Any other income
• Benefits, allowances or pensions.

All other documents can be sent electronically either by email or using our online uploading form.

You can send your proofs in the post to:

Benefits Section
Maidstone House
King Street
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 6JQ