Support if you can't pay your council tax

If you are struggling to pay your council tax, see what payment options are available.

If your income has been affected and you can't pay your council tax, there are several options.

Council tax support

If your savings are below £6,000 (£16,000 for pensioners) you may be entitled to council tax support. To work out how much you might get, you can use our online benefit calculator.

If you do qualify for help towards paying your council tax, you can make a claim online.

Exceptional hardship award

If you are still struggling to make payments you can make an application for an exceptional hardship award. You need to qualify for council tax support to make a claim for this.

Spread your instalments over 12 months

If your savings are above £6,000 or you don’t qualify for council tax support, but your income has dropped or you are experiencing cash flow problems, you can contact us and we can spread your instalments over 12 months rather than the usual 10 months.

To discuss your instalments please call us on 01227 862 300.

Discounts and exemptions

You can also check if you could get a council tax discount or exemption.

Make a payment arrangement

If you owe council tax you can ask for a special payment arrangement to clear the amount you owe.