Council Tax Benefit
Who can claim Council Tax Benefit?
You can claim Council Tax Benefit if:
- you are on a low income (you may qualify to pay less Council Tax); or
- you get Income Support (you may have nothing to pay)
Do I qualify for Council Tax Benefit?
To qualify for Council Tax Benefit, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- you must be on a low income
- you must be the person responsible for paying the Council Tax
- you must make a Council Tax Benefit claim
However, you will normally not qualify for benefit if you have savings or investments of more than £16,000.
See if you qualify for Council Tax and / or Housing Tax Benefit using our benefits calculator.
How do I make a claim?
If you are not sure if you qualify, make a claim. You can also claim help towards your rent using the same application form. This is called Housing Benefit and we use the same form for Council Tax Benefit, Second Adult Rebate and Housing Benefit. You should therefore complete all sections of the form that apply to you and the people who live with you.
You can get an application form from your nearest One Stop Shop or ring Contact Centre. You can also download the application form by clicking on the link below. You can print it out, fill it in and return it to the address on the form.
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Download Council Tax form notes![(PDF [108Kb] opens in new window)](/images/PDF.gif)
What happens next?
Once you have made a claim, we will calculate how much Council Tax Benefit is due by looking at:
- how much money you have coming in
- the amount of any savings you may have
- your personal circumstances
- the amount of Council Tax you have to pay
Second Adult Rebate
Second Adult Rebate is a different kind of Council Tax Benefit for single people who have to pay Council Tax and who have other adults on a low income living in the household.
It can be claimed by anyone who does not have a partner, but only if they do not qualify for the Council Tax single person discount because they share their home with another person, who is aged 18 or older, is on a low income, and does not pay them rent.
How much Council Tax will I pay?
If you have applied for and are entitled to Council Tax Benefit from the beginning of April, the amount of benefit shown on your Council Tax bill is the total benefit for the whole year. This may change if your circumstances change during the year. Benefit can only be backdated for special reasons.
What can I do if my claim is refused?
If you are not happy with our decision about your claim for Council Tax Benefit, you can appeal. The process is exactly the same as that for appealing against a Housing Benefit decision.
Civil Partnership
Same-sex couples who form a civil partnership will have the same rights, responsibilities and duties as couples of the opposite sex. A civil partnership is a formal arrangement that gives same-sex partners the same legal status as a married couple.
Same-sex couples who do not form a civil partnership will be treated for Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit purposes in the same way as couples of the opposite sex.
Information
If you need more information you can download one of the following leaflets. To download a copy of these leaflets please click on one of the links below.
On a low income? Need help paying your Council Tax?
How to make a claim for Housing/Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate
View our full range of benefit leaflets.
Contact us
Post
Benefits Service
Liverpool City Council
PO Box 13
Liverpool
L69 2JG
In person
You can visit us at any of our one stop shops.
Telephone
0151 233 3009