Council tax reduction for householders residing in a band E, F, G or H property

From 1st April 2017 if you are living in a band E, F, G or H property and you are not currently in receipt of council tax reduction you may qualify for a reduction equivalent to the difference between the new multiplier and the old multiplier, as explained in the example below.

Who can claim

To qualify for the maximum reduction you must meet one of the criteria listed below: 

  • Single claimants with no children must have an income of less than £321 per week (£16,692 per year) 
  • Couples or single claimants with dependent children must have an income of less than £479 per week (£24,908 per year)

Where your weekly income is only slightly higher than the above, you may still be eligible for a partial Council Tax Reduction (CTR) award.

If 20 percent of the difference between your weekly income and the relevant threshold is less than your weekly maximum council tax reduction, you are entitled to the difference between your maximum weekly council tax reduction award and that amount.

Who is excluded

If any of the following apply to you, you are not usually eligible for Council Tax Reduction:

  • Have savings of over £16,000 – unless you receive the Guarantee Credit of Pension Credit
  • Are a 'person subject to immigration control'

Example

A couple with one child living in a property in council tax Band F in Aberdeenshire with a weekly income of £483.00 would have their partial Council Tax Reduction (CTR) entitlement calculated as follows. 

Council Tax Reduction (CTR) calculation  
   
Weekly income £483.00
Less: CTR income threshold £479.00
Difference £4.00
Taper of 20% of the difference £0.80
   
Band F after the increased multiplier £1,900.48
Band F before the increased multiplier £1,689.31
Difference £211.17
Maximum weekly CTR for increased multiplier £4.05
   
CTR Calculation  
Maximum weekly CTR for increased multiplier £4.05
Taper of 20% of the Difference £0.80
Weekly CTR Award £3.25

If you qualified for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) under the regulations that govern all council tax bands and under the new rules for Bands E to H, you will be entitled to which ever calculation gives you the greatest reduction.

Find more information about the council tax reduction scheme that applies to all council tax bands. 

Before you claim

If you are in a band E to H property and you are already in receipt of council tax reduction you do not need to submit another claim because you will automatically be assessed under both regulations. 

If you are liable for council tax from 1 April 2017 and think you might qualify it is important that you submit a claim for council tax reduction by 30 April 2017 as backdating is limited to one month for working age claimants and three months for those of pension credit age.

How to apply

In order to qualify for the reduction you need to submit a valid online claim form along with the required supporting evidence.

Apply for Council Tax Reduction

Contact

If you have any queries, contact the Aberdeenshire Support and Advice Team (ASAT).