Council Tax Discretionary Reduction
We can reduce your Council Tax in exceptional cases. We can only do this for circumstances covered in our policy.
Generally, we will only reduce your Council Tax in exceptional circumstances, or if you find yourself suffering exceptional financial hardship. Details can be found in our policy (PDF) [273KB] (opens new window) .
Any reduction is granted under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. The cost of any reduction is met by increasing the charge to the other Council Taxpayers of the District. Each case will be considered on its own merit.
The 2023/24 Council Tax Discretionary Reduction Policy includes details on how we will deliver the Council Tax Support Fund.
How to apply
If you wish to apply for a reduction, you should write or send an e-mail to us explaining why you think we should reduce your Council Tax. If you are applying because of financial hardship, you will need to tell us about your income and what you spend.
Before you apply for a Section 13A Council Tax reduction you must:
- take all reasonable steps to resolve the problems that are causing you hardship
- check your entitlement to, and apply for, any other relevant Council Tax reductions. See Can I get a reduction?
We will need evidence of your situation and details of what you have done to try to resolve the problems. We will also need to be sure that if you are in arrears with your Council Tax, this is for a genuine reason - not simply because you have chosen not to pay.
Other short term help we can give people in difficult circumstances
If you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs and need extra help to pay your rent, see discretionary housing payments. Also see details of other support available on the Cost of Living Support page