How we calculate council tax support

Key features of the council tax support scheme

This is an income-banded scheme which will assess the maximum level of council tax support based on the net income of the applicant and their partner if they have one, accounting for any children.

However if you are working age and you have total of more than £6,000 in savings or capital, then you would not qualify for council tax support even if you are on a passported benefit. The capital limit for pensioners is £16,000.

Passported benefits

Anyone on a passported benefit with less capital than the £6000 limit, will be put into band 1 and receive a maximum award of 100%. These include:

  • Income Support
  • income based Jobseekers Allowance
  • income related Employment and Support Allowance.

Universal Credit

This scheme takes in account that Universal Credit is a monthly benefit and can change from month to month. A banded scheme reduces the number of people who have small changes in their income who receive revised Council Tax accounts each month.

Disregards

As part of our ongoing commitment to support most vulnerable people, we will continue to disregard the following from the income used when we assess how much Council Tax Support you are entitled to:

  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payments
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Child Benefit
  • War Pensions.

Non-dependents

Deductions are taken from your Council Tax Support for any non-dependant in your property. The new scheme simplifies these deductions as follows:

  • NIL
    •  for non-dependants who are aged under 18 or are full time students.
    • where the applicant or their partner is:
      • in receipt of any of the following:
        • the care component of Disability Living Allowance at any rate
        • the Daily Living component of the Personal independence Payment
        • Armed Forces Independence Payments
      • registered Blind.
  • £5 per week
    •  Where the non-dependent is in receipt of Pension Credit, Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, an award of Universal Credit without earnings.
    • On a contributory benefit such as new style Employment and Support Allowance, new style Job Seeker’s Allowance.
    • Working less than 16 hours per week on average; or working 16 hours or more per week on average but gross average income of £199.99 or less per week. This will also apply to any non-dependent not in receipt of any income or in receipt of any other income.
  • £11 per week - Where the non-dependant is in remunerative work and his gross average income is of £200.00 or more per week.

Capital limit

If you are of working age the capital limit is now £6,000 and you will receive no Council Tax Support if you have more than this.