Council Tax - How to reduce your Council Tax
Council Tax Benefit
If you are in receipt of a low income, whether this is earned income, pension, or State benefits, you may be entiteld to get help with your Council Tax bill. To claim benefit, you or your partner must be liable to pay Council Tax. This applies to owner-occupiers, tenants of Council accommodation as well as tenants of private and Housing Association properties. You will need to complete an application form and return it with proof of your income and savings.
Please note that we cannot help with payments towards a mortgage.
For further information, contact Housing and Council Tax Benefits Customer Services on 020 8547 5198 or use the link below.
Reduction in Council Tax for People with Disabilities
You may be entitled to a reduction to your Council Tax bill if someone in your household (whether an adult or a child) is disabled and your home has any of the following features which are required to meet their needs:
- An additional bathroom or kitchen for use by the disabled person
- An extra room (other than a kitchen, bathroom or lavatory) eg a room for storing dialysis equipment or a ground floor bedroom in a dwelling with two or more floors
- Extra space in your home to allow for the use of a wheelchair indoors
Single Occupier Discounts
The full Council Tax bill assumes that there are two adults, aged 18 years or over, living in a dwelling. If only one adult lives in a dwelling the taxpayer will be entitled to a 25% discount. The liable person for a dwelling which is no-one's main residence (including empty dwellings and second homes) will be entitled to a discount of 10%*
* With effect from 1 April 2004, Billing Authorities have the power to reduce the unoccupied discount rate. In Kingston it has been reduced to 10%. Please note, if a person is required to live in job-related accommodation to carry out their employment, a 50% discount sill still be granted.
Please contact us for further information on any of the above.