Council Tax Reduction

Council Tax Reduction is a means tested entitlement available to people who are responsible for paying council tax.  You can apply for Council Tax Reduction if you rent or own your home or live rent free.  We work out how much your bill will be reduced by looking at

• the amount of money you receive
• the amount of savings and investments you have
• the circumstances and income of people who live with you

If your savings and investments are over £16000 you will not be entitled to Council Tax Reduction.

If you receive Universal Credit, you must still make a separate application to Fife Council for Council Tax Reduction.

The Council Tax Reduction regulations changed in April 2022 for people who are in work and receiving Universal Credit.  People in these circumstances now have less of their wages included, meaning they qualify for more help.  If you have applied before but didn’t qualify these changes might mean you can receive help.  Check if you will qualify using the calculator below.

Second Adult Reduction

If you do not qualify for Council Tax Reduction but have a second adult over 18 in the property who is not your partner and is on a low income you can apply for a Second Adult Reduction (SAR).  Second Adult Reduction can only be awarded if the other adult over 18:

• does not pay rent for living in your home
• is not your spouse or partner
• has a low gross income and are not counted as a disregarded person for council tax purposes.

Check if you qualify

Enter your details into the Eligibility Calculator to find out if you may qualify. Please note this is an indication only and confirmation will only follow after your application has been processed.

How to apply

Apply Online

When you apply for a Council Tax Reduction, you will be asked to provide evidence to support your application.  All documents, certificates and evidence must be originals.

These can be sent to us by email at benctax@fife.gov.uk, handed into a Customer Service Centre or posted to

Benefits & Council Tax Team

PO Box 18015

Bankhead Central

Glenrothes

KY7 6GH

Your documents can be handed into a Customer service centre by appointment. Although this is not always necessary this will make sure you receive the best possible service.

Book an appointment | Fife Council

Council Tax Reduction is normally awarded from the Monday after the date you apply. If you apply for Council Tax Reduction within one month of starting other benefits (for example Income Support, Income based Job Seekers Allowance or Income Related Employment Support Allowance) then your reduction will start from the Monday after the date your entitlement to these benefits began.

Reporting changes

If you are applying for a Council Tax Reduction you must tell us at once about any change in circumstances you or the people living with you may have.

Some changes may mean you are entitled to a higher reduction, but others may mean you receive a lower amount or you may no longer be entitled to a reduction.

Report a Council Tax Reduction change

Backdating

Your entitlement will usually start on the Monday after we receive your application.  If you would like it to start from an earlier date, you must have a good reason for not applying earlier. We can consider backdating your application for up to 6 months.

If you want us to consider backdating, you must write to us giving your reasons for not applying at the appropriate time. The reasons you give must apply throughout the period which you are applying for.

If you have reached State Pension Credit qualifying age, then your application automatically covers the last 3 months from the date it is received (provided you are due to pay Council Tax during that period). If you reach State Pension Credit qualifying age within that period it will only be paid from then.

View your claim and letters online

We have introduced the facility to allow Housing Benefit/ Council Tax Reduction/ Discretionary Housing Payment customers to register to view information electronically. This will include notifications confirming the details used in any assessment and entitlement where applicable.

To register for online letters or to view your Claim Summary click the button below.

Please note in order to register or access your Claim Summary you will need the following information:

• National Insurance Number
• Date of Birth
• Current claim reference – this may be on letters previously sent to you. If you do not have any letters containing this information you can contact the Benefits and Council Tax Team for assistance on 03451 55 11 55.
• An email address

You can view the answers to the questions we get asked most often, about this service, in our FAQ section.