Council Tax Support is a scheme to help you pay your Council Tax if you’re on a low income.
How much you get depends on your income, savings and personal circumstances. If other adults live with you (not your partner), this may reduce the amount you get.
If you receive Council Tax Support, make sure your award is correct and tell us if your circumstances change. You may have to pay a penalty if you do not.
Who can apply
You can apply for Council Tax Support if you and your partner have less than £16,000 savings, unless you get Guaranteed Pension Credit.
You must live in the UK to apply.
How to apply for Council Tax Support
Apply as soon as possible – delays in applying may mean you miss out on support.
You can apply for Council Tax Support online. If you cannot apply online, email hbsupportteam@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call 023 9283 4556.
Second Adult Rebate
Second Adult Rebate is a different type of support if you’re responsible for paying the Council Tax and live with other adults on a low income.
To apply, you must:
- have reached pension age
- be the Council Tax bill payer
- not receive single person discount because other adults live with you
A second adult is someone aged 18 or over who lives with you but is not your partner, a tenant or boarder who pays you commercial rent.
How to apply for Second Adult Rebate
You must apply yourself if you are the Council Tax bill payer. You’ll need to provide proof of your identity and national insurance number. We only need details of the second adult’s income and savings – not yours.
If you already receive Council Tax Support, you do not need to apply. We have already calculated which is better for you.
You can apply using the online portal.
How much support you can get
If more than one other adult lives with you, we use their combined income to work out the rebate. The rebate applied to your Council Tax bill depends on their gross weekly income:
- under £289 – 15% rebate
- £289 to £375 – 7.5% rebate
- on certain benefits (income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Guaranteed Credit, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support) – 25% rebate
Tell us if your circumstances change
You must tell us straight away if anything changes that could affect your Council Tax support.
You can report a change online.
You must tell us if:
- you or anyone living with you starts or leaves a job
- your income, or the income of anyone living with you changes (including wages, benefits, pensions and tax credits)
- any of your children leave full time education
- you change address, or anyone moves in or moves out of your home (including a new baby, children, other family or friends, lodgers)
- you or anyone living with you, is no longer entitled to Income Support, Jobseekers allowance, Pension credit, Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit
- you or your partner’s savings or investments change
- you or anyone living with you, becomes a student, goes on a youth training scheme, goes into hospital, a nursing home or prison
- you or your partner are going to be away from home for more than a month
- you receive any decision from the Home Office about your immigration status
- any changes to the level of childcare costs you pay
- any other change in circumstance that might affect your right to the amount of Council Tax support you receive
If you receive too much Council Tax Support, the excess will be added to your Council Tax account.
Documents
View the Council tax Support scheme full document.