Are you ready for the rise in council tax? | Tenant news

From 1 April, council tax will be rising by 5% for many households, which means an additional expense on top of the cost-of-living challenges.

Most local authorities will be increasing their council tax payments across two areas.

1. The local council fee: this will rise by a maximum of 3%
2. Adult Social Care charge: this is will see an extra 2% increase on your council tax. For some regions, there may also be an additional mayoral charge, but this will be communicated by your local council.

Is your council tax correct?

Before paying your council tax bill, it’s worth checking that it has been calculated correctly. To do this, you’ll need to know:

• Your council tax band: A, B, C or D
• The total charge for your local council services
• Whether you qualify for a reduction of 25% for single occupancy or a discount (potentially up  to 100%) depending on your income or circumstances at home.

Reductions and discounts

You can apply to your council for a council tax reduction if you’re on low income or you receive benefits. Any reduction you are entitled to takes into account:

• Your total household income
• The number of children and adults that live with you
• What benefits you currently receive
• Your residency status
• What scheme your local council is running.

If you are under 25yrs old and a care leaver, there’s a discretionary discount of 100% that you can claim by speaking to your local council.

You can also find out a bit more about your local council’s tax exemption categories by visiting their website.

Please get in touch with your local council as soon as possible if your find yourself falling behind on council tax payments so that you can work out a repayment plan with them.