Who can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction

Council Tax Reduction

A reduction means paying less or no Council Tax. You may be entitled to claim this if you are on low income and liable to pay council tax. If your partner is a full-time student but you are not, you can claim.

There are different rules for applicants of working age and applicants of pension age.

• Download Council Tax Reduction Scheme documents.
• Council Tax reduction for working-age people claiming Universal Credit

Universal Credit

All postcodes within the Oxford City Council boundary now fall under the full service of Universal Credit. See Housing Costs and Universal Credit at GOV.UK

If you live in Oxford and want to make a new claim for Housing Benefit you will need to claim universal credit instead to help with your housing costs unless:

• you and your partner have both reached state pension age.
• you receive support from/on behalf of your landlord as part of your tenancy. Please discuss this with your support worker.
• you live in temporary accommodation and making a new claim after 11th April 2018, or have had a change to your rent
• you receive Housing Benefit already (you'll remain on Housing Benefit until you have a change in circumstances that requires a new claim for JSA(IB), ESA (IR), Tax credits* or Housing Benefit at another local authority. Some examples are losing a job, becoming sick, becoming fit for work after illness, having a first child, moving into work from unemployment or moving out of the local authority area

*If you are getting Child Tax Credit becoming entitled to Working Tax Credit does not count as a new claim

You still need to claim Council Tax Reduction from Oxford City Council. Please complete your application as soon as possible and tell us what your income is whilst you are awaiting a decision on your Universal Credit application.

Housing Benefit

You can claim Housing Benefit if you are on a low income and are liable to pay rent for your accommodation. You will need to pay for any part of your rent that is not covered by Housing Benefit.

If you have savings over £16,000 you will not usually get Housing Benefit unless you are of Pension Age and receive the Guarantee Credit type of Pension Credit.

Student, self-employed or from Abroad

If you are a student, self-employed or from abroad there are different rules.

More information

• How to apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction
• Tell us about a change affecting your Housing Benefit or Council Tax claim