Council Tax Support
The Horsham District Council’s Council Tax Support Scheme is based on the “Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Default Scheme) (England) Regulations 2012 (and all subsequent amendments). Unless otherwise stated, these regulations will be applied to all claims under the Horsham Council Tax Support Scheme with effect from 01/04/2013.
Aims of the Scheme
The scheme has 2 overarching principles:
- Protect pensioners (a legal requirement)
- Protect those who are unable to or not expected to work
Will I qualify for Council Tax Support?
Council Tax Support is a means-tested benefit, available to those on a low income who need help towards their Council Tax bill.
To know if you qualify for Council Tax Support you will need to make a claim on-line. Once the team have assessed your claim you will receive notification of whether you are entitled to support, and if so how much.
Payment
Any Council Tax Support will be paid directly onto your Council Tax Account, and you will receive a reduced bill.
Apply for Council Tax Support
All applications must be made online. Click the button below to apply for Council Tax Support.
Scheme Details
The full details of the scheme are contained in the CTS Scheme Details but key details about the scheme are shown below.
The regulations (and any subsequent amendments) will apply to groups protected from a reduction in Council Tax Support.
The protected groups are:
Pensioners:
- A pensioner household is one consisting of:
- A single person who has reached state pension credit age
- A couple where both have reached state pension credit age
- (as defined in Part 2(3) of ‘default scheme’ regulations)
Those unable (or not expected) to work:
- Lone parents with children under the age of 5
- Those in receipt of:
- Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
- Employment Support Allowance (with a support component)
- Disability element or Severe Disability element of Working Tax Credit War Widows Pension
- Any disability premium
- Income Support with Carers Allowance
- Universal Credit with Carers Allowance
Compensation payments through any UK Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will be disregarded when calculating an applicant’s eligibility to Council Tax Reduction. The £10 disregard will be extended to a complete disregard of sums that fall under Schedule 6 paras 1(b)(c) and (d) and para 6 of the ‘Default Scheme’).
Working age claimants who are not in a protected group will have their Council Tax Reduction restricted to a maximum of Council Tax band D liability.
Anyone whose property is in a band higher than D will have their Council Tax Support calculated using band D liability. The customer will be responsible for all additional Council Tax over and above Band D.
Those in bands A-D will have their support calculated using their actual liability.
Working age claimants who are not in a protected group will have to pay at least 10% of their Council Tax liability.
This is in addition to any Band D restriction.
Anyone with capital of £10,000 or higher, and who is not in a protected group, will not qualify for Council Tax Reduction.
There is no Second Adult Rebate for Working Age customers.