Council Tax Reduction: What It Is and Who Can Get It
A discount on your council tax bill, run by your local council — not the government. Eligibility and amounts vary by council, and it's often connected to other benefits you may already receive.
The Basics
Run by your local council, not central government
Each council sets its own scheme, so how much you could get and exactly who qualifies varies depending on where you live.
Means-tested
It generally depends on your income, savings, and who else lives with you — not on age or health alone.
Often missed alongside other support
People who qualify for Pension Credit, Universal Credit or certain other benefits are frequently also eligible for Council Tax Reduction, but don't always realise it's a separate application.
How Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit Connect to This
We call this the benefit cascade: being awarded one benefit can directly increase, or unlock, your entitlement to several others — but nothing happens automatically. Each one still has to be identified and applied for separately.
Attendance Allowance
Not means-tested, and can increase your income calculation for Pension Credit.
Pension Credit
A new or increased award can unlock full or partial Council Tax Reduction.
Council Tax Reduction
Can mean hundreds, sometimes thousands, off your council tax bill each year — for as long as you remain eligible.
To be upfront: Silverwings currently applies for Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit on our clients' behalf, at no extra charge for the extra work this involves. Council Tax Reduction is applied for separately with your own council — it's always free to do yourself, and many of our clients ask us to handle that step too as part of managing the whole spread, rather than juggling several applications on their own.
Could you get more Council Tax Reduction?
Do you (or anyone in your household) currently receive Attendance Allowance or Pension Credit?
Watch: Council Tax Reduction Explained
Our video guide to Council Tax Reduction is on the way — check back soon.
Your Route to Claiming It
Do it yourself, free — apply directly with your local council on GOV.UK. No cost, no obligation, and you keep full control of the process.
Free charitable help — Citizens Advice and Age UK can also help you apply at no cost.
Let us handle the whole spread — many of our clients prefer this once they see how Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit connect. We check the full picture and handle the paperwork across all of them, so nothing gets missed.
Because Council Tax Reduction is run locally, the most reliable way to check is directly with your own council — it's free to apply and there's no obligation. Our free Benefits Calculator can also help point you toward it as part of a wider check across several types of support.