Check eligibility
Not eligible? Discounts and exemptions
If you are not eligible for council tax reduction (formerly council tax benefit) you may be eligible for a discount or exemption (e.g. single person, students).
Apply for council tax reduction or housing benefit
Only one form is required to claim both council tax reduction and housing benefit.
Apply for housing benefit and council tax reduction
You should start claiming as soon as possible. If you delay claiming, you may lose out on an award you may be entitled to. You can apply even if you don't have all the supporting information, as this can be sent to us later.
The aim is to assess the award within three working days of the claim being received. If further information is requested, it depends on how long it takes for the claimant to supply that information.
Your award
Usually your award will start from the Monday after we receive your claim.
Any award of council tax reduction is paid direct to the council tax account. If the liable person has also made payments of council tax for the same period, we will refund any credits on the account.
If you are under pension age
You can complete form HCTB(1) issued by the Jobcentre Plus office if you apply for income support or jobseekers allowance. Once received the benefits department will send out a form to see if you would also like to apply for council tax reduction.
If you, or your partner, are over pension age
If you get pension credit
The Pension Service pays pension credits, but it does not cover rent or council tax. When you make a claim for a pension credit, if you claim by phone, the adviser will ask you if you want to claim housing benefit. The Pension Service will then send you an HCTB1 form. You need to send your form to the Warwick District Council benefit section. Once the form has been received, Warwick District Council will send out a form to see if you would also like to claim council tax reduction.
When the Pension Service has assessed your entitlement to pension credits, they will tell us about this separately.
If you don't get pension credit
You may not get pension credit if your income or savings are too high or if you do not qualify for some other reason. If so, you must claim housing benefit or council tax reduction (or both) directly from us by filling in a claim form.
Change of circumstances
Inform us of a change in circumstances if you already receive housing benefit or council tax reduction and your circumstances change.