CashNews.co
Every household in England can reduce their council tax to £0 with one phone if they qualify for certain benefits or have a health condition.
Council Tax is one of those bills which seems to go up every year, usually at the legally mandated maximum of 4.99 percent, with a social care precept on top, and is used to fund everything from bin collections to firefighters, road repairs and parks.
Currently, an average Band D council tax bill is £2,171 but a top band bill can be as high as £5,000 a year.
But you could cut your council tax bill to £0 with a 100 percent discount if you claim certain benefits.
The government says: “You could be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits. Your bill could be reduced by up to 100%.”
The government says that what you will get depends on where you live, because every council runs its own separate scheme with its own eligibility criteria, your circumstances – like income, number of children, benefits being claimed, your savings, and if children or other adults currently live with you.
As an example of how the scheme works, Leeds Council offers a 75 percent discount for people on low incomes or Universal Credit. Possibly both – 38 percent of people currently claiming Universal Credit are in work and are using it to top up a low income.
This can be as high as 100 percent discount if you’re a state pensioner or disabled, the authority adds.
Wandsworth Council in London has a different set of criteria for a 100 percent council tax discount.
It says; “Eligible Council Tax Reduction is 100% of the amount an applicant is liable to pay. The applicant and/or any partner are receiving any level or component of:
Or the household is:
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Within the ‘support group’ for Employment Support Allowance
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Entitled to the Universal Credit Limited Capability for work and related activity
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Receives a Disability Banding reduction from Council Tax
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Receives either a war Disablement Pension or War widows Pension (either claimant or partner)
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Contains a dependent child aged under 3 years old and claimant and or partner have no earned income “
If you claim a benefit like Universal Credit, or someone in your household is a student, has a severe mental impairment, or is on the state pension, it is worth calling your local council and asking to check if you’re eligible for a discount of up to 100 percent.