We may be able to give you a short-term council tax reduction if you find yourself unexpectedly in financial problems.
We can only give a council tax reduction in exceptional situations. These situations may include because your home has fire or flood damage and it’s not possible to live in your home. It can also be where you face a sudden financial problem, that you could not have expected.
The reduction in your council tax can apply to both occupied and unoccupied properties.
The money to cover the reductions comes out of our own funds and the decision to make a reduction is at our discretion. We don’t have to give a reduction to anyone.
The reduction is sometimes called a section 13A reduction, because it comes under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act.
Before you apply
Please make sure you have done the following, before you come to us:
- Taken all reasonable steps to fix the problem(s) that are causing you to apply for the reduction
- Apply for any other types of council tax reduction you might be able to get. Please see our council tax discounts and exemptions pages for more information
Apply for a council tax reduction
To apply, please email our Council Tax Recovery Team at localtax@rushmoor.gov.uk. You will need to provide:
- An explanation as to why you are in arrears with your council tax. That it is for a genuine reason and not simply because you have chosen not to pay
- Evidence of your situation and of what you have done to try to resolve the problem(s)
If you are applying because of financial problems, you will also need to tell us about your income and about what you spend
If you are applying because of fire or flood damage, you will need to send details of the damage plus evidence such as reports, photographs and written confirmation from your insurance company that they will not cover the council tax of your home
After we have received your application
We will look at the information you have given us and come back to you if we need more details.
Once we have everything we need, your application will be determined by our Revenues and Benefits Service Manager. You must keep paying your council tax while you wait to hear from us.
If the manager agrees to give you the reduction, you will get a new council tax bill to confirm the change. If they decide not to give you the reduction, we will tell you what you can do if you want to challenge the decision.
Contact us