Council tax benefit
Changes to Council Tax benefit from April 2011
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Changes to Council Tax benefit from April 2012
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Council tax benefit
Council tax benefit is a social security benefit that can help
people on a low income with their council tax charge. There are two
types of council tax benefit:
- main council tax benefit
- second adult rebate
The amount of main council tax benefit awarded varies according
to the income, savings and personal circumstances of the claimant
and anyone else living in his/her household. The amount of second
adult rebate ignores the claimant’s income and savings and is based
upon the income of other people (but not the partner) living in the
claimant’s household.
Although the scheme is administered by local councils the rules
used to work out entitlement are decided by central government.
Tower Hamlets benefits service has no discretion to make changes to
those rules.
How to claim
To make a new claim for council benefit you
need to complete a Tower Hamlets full claim form.
- download a
new claim form (pdf, 589k), complete it and either post to the
benefits service or take it to your nearest One Stop Shop
- telephone 020 7364 5001 or email the benefits service - if the
claim form is completed and returned within one calendar month of
the date it was requested then the date it was requested will be
treated as the claim date
- visit one of the council's One Stop Shops - if the form is
completed and returned within one calendar month of being handed
out then the date it was requested will be treated as the date of
claim
The claim form must include full details of
the claimant's family, household composition, income and savings.
We must see original evidence to support this. After a claim has
been made and put into payment it is not normally necessary to
complete another full form unless there is a break in your
entitlement.
Claiming through the Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP)
If you make a claim for one of the following
benefits you can claim council tax benefit at the same time through
the Department for Work and Pensions:
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Pension Credit
By claiming at the same time you may not have to
provide the same information to different offices and can avoid
completing a Tower Hamlets claim form.
Who can claim?
Generally only people who are liable to pay
council tax or their partner can claim council tax benefit. They
must be occupying the property at which they are claiming as their
home.
Where someone is unable to act for themselves
and has an appointee the appointee can make the claim instead.
Some examples of people who can claim council
tax benefit are:
- owner occupiers (and people paying a mortgage on their
home)
- council tenants and tenants of Poplar HARCA, Tower Hamlets
Community Housing and East End Homes
- housing association tenants (also called registered social
landlord tenants)
- tenants living in privately-rent accommodation (this includes,
for example, accommodation let through an estate agent)
In the above examples the tenants will
normally also be liable for council tax.
Exclusions
The benefit rules exclude some people from
entitlement to council tax benefit, even when they have a low
income and are liable for council tax. If you are excluded we
will write to you and tell you why.
Information and evidence needed
Because council tax benefit is a means tested
benefit, Tower Hamlets benefits service needs to know about all
your income and savings, and the income and savings of your
partner, (and in some cases the income and savings of other people
who live in your household). Examples of the information and
evidence needed are provided on the claim form.
You do not have to provide evidence of your
council tax liability as we can check who is liable for council tax
at your address and the amount charged.
We need evidence of your income and savings in
order to deal with your claim correctly and promptly. You should
aim to provide the evidence within a few days of making your claim
whenever possible.
The easiest way to provide the evidence is to
take your original documents to your nearest One Stop Shop where
they can be photocopied and verified by council officers. We cannot
accept photocopies of original documents taken by claimants or
anyone who is not authorised to do so.
Contact us
Tower Hamlets operates as a centralised
benefit claims processing service and a dedicated benefits call
centre both based at the Town Hall where all postal, email and
telephone enquiries should be directed. Home visits can be arranged
if you are housebound and do not have anyone who can help you.
Benefits Service
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London
E14 2BG
Telephone: 020 7364 5001
Fax: 020 7364 7048
Email: benefits@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Personal callers should visit their nearest
One Stop Shop to hand in claim
forms, obtain receipts and have original evidence photocopied.
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