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Daily Record

Lifestyle

Linda Howard

Check for Council Tax discount of up to £750 as number of people claiming help drops over last year

Council Tax Scotland

People struggling to pay their Council Tax during the ongoing cost of living crisis are being encouraged to check if they are eligible for money off their 2023/24 bill. The Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme is unique to Scotland and helps people on low incomes knock an average of £750 a year off their bill.

Those eligible can also save up to 35 per cent on their water and waste charges. The latest figures published by the Scottish Government show that 454,350 households received a CTR in March 2023, which means around one-in-five households were saving money through the scheme.

The total number of CTR recipients in Scotland decreased over the course of 2022/23 with the largest change, a decrease of 1.2 per cent, observed in October 2022 compared to the previous month. The total number of households getting a CTR is now 18 per cent (98,030 recipients) lower in March 2023 than it was when the scheme began in April 2013.

Though there was a decrease in the number of CTR recipients, there was an increase in income forgone from March 2022 to March 2023. This is due to the increase in Council Tax rates and, in turn, the average weekly award for CTR recipients.

The Council Tax Reduction scheme celebrated its 10th anniversary in April and Scottish households have saved more than £3 billion on their Council Tax bills since it was first introduced.

Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice and Rights Fife, David Redpath, recently said: “We are experiencing unprecedented demand for advice on how to maximise incomes to the cost of living crisis.

“Council Tax Reduction plays a key role in making budgets stretch further and we encourage people to check if they are eligible for a reduction, discount or even an exemption from paying Council Tax.”

Below is our quick guide on how to check your Council Tax bill and a list of circumstances which could see you paying less each month.

Could you be exempt from paying Council Tax?

You will not pay Council Tax if:

You are a full-time student
You are in the Armed Forces in Forces accommodation
You live in a care home or hospital
Your home is unoccupied and empty (up to six months) - for example, if you’ve gone into hospital
You have a severe mental impairment (e.g. dementia) - if you only live with someone who has dementia, then you’ll be treated as a sole occupant as they will be disregarded, but you won’t both be exempt

Contact your local authority about your eligibility and how you can apply for an exemption - a link to all 32 local authorities in Scotland is at the bottom of this page.

Could you be eligible for a discount on your Council Tax bill?

There are some circumstances where you may get a reduction on your Council Tax and the amount of discount varies depending on your circumstances.

If you live alone

The full Council Tax is calculated assuming there are two or more people living in each home – if you live alone, you should apply to your local council for a discount - you could get a 25 per cent reduction, regardless of your financial circumstances.

If you live with someone under 18 or a student

Council Tax is not calculated for anyone aged under 18, full-time students, student nurses and some apprentices or trainees.

If you are a carer

Carers who look after someone in the household for at least 35 hours per week and who meet additional criteria may be disregarded for Council Tax purposes, contact your local authority for their eligibility criteria.

Just be aware, this doesn’t apply if the person receiving care is the partner of the carer, or is the carer’s child aged under 18.

If there are major changes to the value of your home

You may be able to get your home moved to a lower band if it has decreased in value. For example, if you have made home adaptations for a disabled person, or if a motorway has been built nearby.

You may also get the band lowered if a room in the house is dedicated to equipment used by a disabled person on a daily basis.

If you change the way you pay

Although the total year’s amount will stay the same, you can request that your bill be split over 12 months instead of 10, so that you can spread the cost and reduce your monthly outgoings.

Alternatively, if you can afford to pay the whole bill in one lump sum, check with your local council if you can get a discount.

Apply for Council Tax Reduction

You may be eligible to claim a Council Tax Reduction if you’re on a low income or claiming certain benefits.

You can also claim Council Tax support regardless of whether you own your own home or rent, or whether you’re working or unemployed.

Each local council is responsible for operating their own Council Tax support scheme, so the amount of support given across the country may vary.

The amount you will get depends on many factors, including:

Which benefits you receive
Your age
Your income
Your savings
Who you live with
How much council tax you pay

You may get more Council Tax support if you receive a disability or carers benefit.

If you receive the Guarantee Credit Part of Pension Credit you may even get your Council Tax paid in full. If you don’t have it, but are on a low income and have less than £16,000 in savings, you may still get some help.

Local councils

Contact your local council from the list below to apply for a Council Tax Reduction or discount.

To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, follow us on Twitter @Record_Money, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out Monday to Friday - sign up here.