COVID19 : Council tax hardship fund
We are aware of the announcement made by Central Government of a Council Tax Hardship Fund and are working with our software supplier to ensure that each Council Tax Reduction customer receives the support available. This is a maximum of a £150 one-off payment for the year 2020 to 2021, or less, where the outstanding Council Tax liability is less.
You will not need to apply for this. It will be automatically posted through your Council Tax account as soon as we are able to do so.
You will then receive an adjusted Council Tax bill for the new amount.
If you have any questions contact benefits@wokingham.gov.uk or visit the Gov.uk website council tax advice.
How to claim
To claim Council Tax Reduction, fill in an application form and send it back to us. You can do this in several ways:
Send us supporting documents
As well as the form, send some supporting documents for your claim. Enclose the following documents with your claim form:
- 2 forms of identification for you and your partner
- Evidence of your National Insurance and that of your partner
- Evidence of all income for you, your partner and anyone else who lives in your household
- Evidence of all capital held by you and your partner (e.g. bank and building society accounts, investments, cash, property, shares, etc.)
We can only accept original as proof of identification and national insurance. We cannot accept photocopies. We can, however, accept photocopies, scanned copies or photographs of all other types of documentary evidence, which you can email to us at benefits@wokingham.gov.uk.
What if I don't have all my documents right now?
If you haven't got all the proof we ask for to support your claim, send what you can with the form straight away. You need to send us the rest within 1 calendar month. We will contact you to confirm if any other information is needed.
How much of a reduction will I get?
The amount of Council Tax Reduction you receive will be calculated based on the following:
- Money you and your partner (if applicable) have coming in. This includes earnings, benefits, tax credits and pensions
- Your and your partner’s capital, savings and investments
- Your circumstances, such as age, who lives in the household, ages of children, whether anyone is disabled
When will I get my Council Tax Reduction?
Council Tax Reduction is normally paid from the Monday after your claim is received at our offices.