Council tax hardship scheme 2026/27

A council tax reduction scheme aimed towards those struggling to meet the cost of their council tax bill.

We have introduced a hardship fund for residents who are in financial hardship. If eligible, support will be provided as a reduction in your council tax bill.

Who is eligible for this reduction

In order to be eligible for the scheme you must:

have a council tax liability
ensure the property you are applying for the reduction is your sole or main residence.
have recourse to public funds
have a low income, as detailed below

Income limits

We have set maximum income limits based on the number of people in your household. If your household earns more than this limit, you will not be eligible for this scheme.

We expect that single residents, with no dependents, on a low income to claim Council Tax Support. Therefore single residents are not eligible for this scheme.

Below is a list of the maximum income depending on the number of people who live in your household:

Criteria	Maximum weekly income
Single adult with 1 child	£500
Single adult with 3 or more children	£600
Couple with no children	£500
Couple with 1 child	£550
Couple with 2 or more children	£600
Disabled household with no children	£500
Disabled household with 1 child	£550
Disabled household with 2 or more children	£600

For the purposes of this scheme a disabled household is any household where a resident is disabled, that includes the applicant, partner, children, looked after adults or any other member of the household.

Other schemes are also available and you can review the links at the bottom of this page for further information.