Local authority
Council Tax Reduction
Council Tax Reduction lowers your council tax bill if you are on a low income or get certain benefits. Each council runs its own scheme, so you apply to your local council and the rules depend on where you live.
Help if you are out of work
What you may be able to claim while you are looking for work, and where to start.
What to check first
- Check whether you have enough National Insurance contributions for New Style Jobseeker's Allowance — it is not means tested, so savings and a partner's income do not stop it.
- Make a Universal Credit claim if you need help with living costs or rent. The date you claim usually matters, so do not delay it while you gather documents.
- Tell your council you have stopped working — Council Tax Reduction is a separate scheme and they will not know automatically.
- If you were made redundant, check whether you are owed redundancy pay, notice pay and holiday pay before you assume the job has ended cleanly.
What you may be able to claim
Each of these has its own rules. Open a page to see what it is, who runs it, and where the official guidance lives.
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Department for Work and Pensions
Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit helps with rent if you are on a low income. Most people can no longer make a new claim and should claim Universal Credit instead; new claims are mainly for people over State Pension age or living in supported, sheltered or temporary housing.
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Department for Work and Pensions
New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance
New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance helps you while you look for work, based on the National Insurance contributions you have paid. You can get it on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit.
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Department for Work and Pensions
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a monthly payment to help with your living costs if you are on a low income, out of work or cannot work. It is replacing older benefits such as Housing Benefit and income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Where to get help in person
We are an information site. If a decision has gone against you, or you are not sure what applies to your situation, free independent advice is available and it is worth using.
- Citizens Advice can look at your actual circumstances and help with forms and appeals.
- Your council's welfare or housing team runs local schemes that are not advertised nationally.
- Many charities run advice lines for specific conditions and situations.
None of them charge, and none of them will ask you to pay to make a claim.