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Council Tax Reduction

A reduction on your Council Tax bill for people on a low income, run by your local council under rules that vary by area — in Scotland and for pensioners there are national frameworks, but working-age schemes in England vary council to council.

Written by Due to You Editorial
Reviewed by D2Y Editorial Team
Last updated (2026-04-20)
Sourced from: GOV.UK

Overview

Council Tax Reduction (also called Council Tax Support in some areas) is a discount on a household's Council Tax bill for people on a low income. It is run by the local council, and the rules that apply depend on where in the UK the claimant lives and their age. For people over State Pension age across Great Britain, a national framework sets a broadly consistent scheme that can reduce the bill by up to 100 percent depending on income and savings. For working-age people in England, each local council designs its own scheme, which means the income thresholds, capital limits, and maximum discount vary significantly from council to council. Scotland operates a single national working-age scheme, and Wales has a national framework administered by each council. Northern Ireland uses Rate Relief and the Housing Benefit Rate Rebate rather than Council Tax Reduction. Claimants of Guarantee Pension Credit are typically entitled to maximum Council Tax Reduction regardless of income. Because local rules differ, any figure on this page is indicative; entitlement and the exact discount are determined by the relevant local council. This page references criteria from the primary GOV.UK source; the authoritative source for any individual award is your local council.

Applies in UK-wide. Administered by Council. This page is general information; contact Council for your individual circumstances.

Eligibility criteria include

  • INCOME
    You could be eligible if you're on a low income or claim benefits. [GOV.UK]
  • HOUSING STATUS
    You can apply whether you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working. [GOV.UK]
  • RESIDENCE
    The scheme differs in Northern Ireland; the Council Tax Reduction described on this page does not apply there. [GOV.UK]
  • OTHER
    The amount of reduction depends on where you live, as each council runs its own scheme. [GOV.UK]
  • HOUSEHOLD
    What you get depends on your circumstances, including income, number of children, benefits, residency status, household income (including savings, pensions and partner's income), whether children live with you, and whether other adults live with you. [GOV.UK]

Sources