Council Tax Reduction Scheme

Coronavirus update

If you currently receive Council Tax Reduction

If you currently receive Council Tax Reduction, in the next 7 to 10 days we are applying extended support to your account, to help cover the cost of your council tax bill during the coronavirus pandemic (see More than 7,000 households to benefit from extended council tax support scheme for more information).

We will be contacting you to advise you of any additional reduction in the coming weeks. You do not need to reapply. These payments will be automatically made to your council tax account.

If you are already in receipt of Council Tax Reduction and you have had a change in your circumstances, tell us straight away as you may be entitled to more reduction.

You can contact us to report changes in your circumstances on 03000 262 000 or email benefits@durham.gov.uk.

If you do not receive Council Tax Reduction but your earnings have changed

If you do not receive Council tax Reduction, and your earnings have changed, you may now now qualify, you can see if you are entitled and make a claim below.

Support to pay your council tax

We have postponed debt recovery for anyone falling into arrears with their council tax bills. If you have any concerns about your payments, please contact us - call 03000 264 000 or email help@durham.gov.uk.

There are a range of options available to you, including spreading your payments evenly over 12 months or starting payments from July instead of April. Many residents have already taken up this offer. To apply see Covid-19: postpone your council tax payments if you have been impacted by coronavirus.

Apply for Council Tax Reduction

You can also contact us to apply or, if you want to visit us in person, make an appointment at one of our customer access points. 

If you are housebound or have mobility issues we may be able to visit you at home and collect the information we need. Contact us for more details.

Council Tax Reduction Schemes are individual to each council and are reviewed every year.

• Who can apply?
• What information will I need to provide?
• What happens next?
• How is the reduction applied?
• If you don't agree with the decision
• Tell us if your circumstances change

Who can apply?

Anyone who is liable to pay for council tax can apply. Unless you get Guaranteed Pension Credit you won't qualify if you or your partner have savings or investments over £16,000. Our online benefit claim and calculator can tell you if you're eligible and estimate how much you'd get.

Second adult rebate

If your income or savings are too high to receive council tax reduction, you could still get help with your bill. You may qualify for second adult rebate if:

• you live with another adult who isn't responsible for paying council tax
• they are on a low income and can't help with the bill, and;
• if they weren't living with you, you would qualify for a single person discount

This person cannot be:

• your partner
• a joint-tenant or joint-owner
• someone who pays you for board and lodgings

The most second adult rebate you can get is 25 per cent.

When you apply for council tax reduction, we'll automatically consider second adult rebate as well. You'll get whichever one means you pay less.

What information will I need to provide?

When you make your application we will tell you what documents we need to see. Our What information should you provide? page gives details of what we might ask for. Please provide the evidence as quickly as you can otherwise this might delay your claim. If you don't get the evidence to us within a month, we may not be able to pay you any council tax reduction at all.

Our Chief Executive has made a 'Direction on electronic communications' for the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. This is a legal document to allow us to accept electronic signatures. See the  E-enabling direction (PDF, 74.3kb)

What happens next?

We'll consider your application and then write to you to tell you:

• If your claim has been successful or not.
• Why we made that decision.
• If successful, how much your bill will be reduced.

If you think we've got anything wrong, let us know straight away.

How is the reduction applied?

We'll credit your account with any reduction and send you a revised bill for the year showing the new total. We'll usually backdate it to the Monday after we received your application. We can backdate the reduction by up to six months however you'll need to show that there were good reasons why you weren't able to apply earlier. If you're a pensioner we'll automatically backdate the reduction by up to three months if you would have been entitled to it during that time.

If you don't agree with the decision

If you disagree, you can:

• ask us to further explain our decision
• ask us to look at our decision again

To do this you'll need to write to us, explaining why you don't agree.

Appeal to an independent tribunal

You can make an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal if:

• We look at our decision again and you still disagree with what was decided, or;
• You ask us to look at our decision again and we don't reply to you within two months of you contacting us.

The Valuation Tribunal is a free and independent organisation that deals with council tax appeals. 

Universal Credit and Council Tax Reduction

Universal Credit does not include Council Tax Reduction (help with your Council Tax). If you've already applied for Universal Credit and indicated that you are claiming, or intend to claim Council Tax Reduction, we'll be notified of this automatically. We'll use this notification to process your claim and we'll contact you if we need more information, and to confirm your claim.

Tell us if your circumstances change

If any of your circumstances change that could alter how much you pay, you need to let us know as soon as possible. Financial penalties may apply if you pay less when you're not entitled to. See our Report changes affecting your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction page for more information.