Harrogate Borough Council
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The Amount Of Council Tax Benefit You Will Receive
The amount of council tax benefit you may receive will depend
on four basic things:
- The amount of money (income) you have coming in;
- The amount of any savings you have;
- Your personal circumstances,
for example: Marital status, age, how many children you have, whether you are disabled, who else lives in the household etc;
and - The amount of council tax that you pay.
We can pay up to a maximum of 100% of your council tax
bill.
If you receive Income Support, Job Seekers (IB), Income
Related Employment Support Allowance or Pension Credit
Guarantee, and are liable to pay council tax, you will get the
maximum amount of council tax benefit.
Using what you tell us the Council will
calculate any council tax benefit based on the four things:
Money (Income) you have coming in
We will add together your earnings (and that of your partner)
and any other income you have.
For benefit purposes the earnings you receive
include:
- Gross pay less tax, national insurance contributions and half of any contributions you may make to an occupational or personal pension. Some childcare charges may also be deducted
- Business profits after any allowable expenses are taken away
Other Income includes:
- Any other money coming in such as an occupational pension, most social security benefits and pensions.
We will not include certain benefits you may be receiving such
as Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance. You should
still declare the fact that you receive these benefits on your
application form as disabled persons receive a higher rate of
council tax benefit in certain circumstances.
Savings / Capital / Investments
We will look at any savings you (and your partner, if
appropriate) may have.
- If your savings etc. are £6,000 or less we will ignore them.
- If you have more than £6,000 but not more than £16,000 we will take into account, as income, £1 per week for every unit of part unit of £250 above the lower limit. (£1 for every £500 if you are aged 60 or over).
- If you have savings of more than £16,000 you will not be able to get any council tax benefit.
Personal Circumstances
We use amounts set each year by Parliament called personal
allowances and premiums to work out how much you need to live
on.
A personal allowance will depend on:
- your age,
- whether you are single or have a partner,
- how many dependent children you have and their ages.
Premiums are extra sums of money intended to recognise the
special needs of:
- families
- elderly people
- disabled people and people who care for a disabled person
- one parent families
- people who have been sick for over 52 weeks or 28 weeks if they are terminally ill.
If you are not on Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance,
Income Related Employment Support Allowance or Guaranteed
Pension Credit you may still get maximum council tax benefit if the
money you have coming in is less than the allowances and premiums
described above. If you have more money your council tax benefit is
reduced.
The amount of your council tax bill
The maximum amount of council tax benefit payable is based on
the amount of your council tax bill after any discounts have been
deducted.
Reduced Council Tax Benefit
A flat rate deduction will be made from your council tax
benefit if you have another person living with you such as an adult
son or daughter or an elderly relative. These people are termed
"non-dependants." The deduction made will depend on the age and
circumstances of the non-dependant.
Deductions are not made:
- If you are blind or in receipt of the care component of Disability Living or Attendance Allowance;
- If the non-dependant is aged 16 or 17;
- If the non-dependant is on Youth Training, a student, a long-term hospital in-patient, in legal custody or aged under 25 and on Income Support.
You should include on your benefit claim form any people
living with you and tell the council if anybody leaves or joins the
household or has a change in their financial circumstances.
Online Benefits Calculator
For an instant online estimate of entitlement to Council
tax benefit please click on the following link and fill out
the form.