Can I Claim for a Council Tax Reduction

Q.I live in my own home and I have two children aged 18 and 20. The 18 year old has only been able to find 8 to 12 hours per week and my son has been working mainly on a temporary basis for building contractors although has spent most of the last two years unemployed. I have been paying full council tax for the last two years since my son's 18th birthday and I wondered as the household relies heavily upon my income, which is less than £17,000 pa whether I could claim for council tax relief? Is there anything that I can do to help my current situation as my income has consideralby shrunk in value over the last 3 months and I am beginning to find keeping my children increasingly harder to do?

(Mrs Anne Wilby, 14 September 2008)

There are ways to claim up to a 25% reduction in your council tax payments. One of these is if your household income is less than £16,000, in this case you may be able to claim council tax benefit. If however your income is £17,000 then it is unlikely you will qualify for this.

If your income is above £16,000 but you have two adults living with you that are not paying rent or contributing to the council tax bill, then there is a good chance you will qualify for what is known as a Second Adult Rebate. You are able to apply for the rebate if you share your home with someone who is 18 or over and they are on a low income and not paying any council tax themselves. If you qualify for the rebate then you could be entitled to up to 25% off your overall council tax bill. You will have to be able to prove that you are the only one paying the council tax and that the others living in the property cannot pay the tax. If others in the property are eligible for the tax then you will not be able to get the rebate.

You can apply for the rebate if you share your home with more than one adult who is not your civil partner and are aged 18 or over, they must also not be paying you rent, not paying council tax themselves, not ignored for council tax purposes and on a low income themselves. The phrase not ignored for council tax purposes simply means that they are eligible to pay the tax, which any occupants of the house are unless they are exempt for some reason such as they are disabled.

You should contact your local council and tell them about your circumstances and ask if you can apply for the Second Adult Rebate, one you have filled in the appropriate forms you should be able to get up to a 25%n reduction. If you find that the council will not give you the rebate then there is the option to appeal against the decision.

Can I Claim for a Council Tax Reduction

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