You could be eligible to get £150 off your council tax bill - how to check

Millions of households struggling financially due to the ongoing Covid pandemic can get their council tax bill reduced by £150 under a new support scheme.

The council tax hardship fund, which was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the March Budget, is available to people of working age who receive council tax support in England, Wales and Scotland.

The UK government expects the fund to support around 2.3 million vulnerable people and is still currently open for people to apply.

Who is eligible?

The council tax hardship fund is worth £500 million, with the cash distributed to councils at the beginning of this financial year.

The fund is intended to provide council tax relief to vulnerable people and households who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. It is designed for those who are on low income or claiming certain benefits, with those who are of working age and receiving council tax support - also known as a council tax reduction - eligible to receive the funding.

Each local council is responsible for operating its own council tax support scheme, so the amount of support given across the country may vary and will depend on certain factors.

If you are on a low income or claim benefits, your bill could be reduced by up to 100 per cent.

You can apply for the council tax reduction if you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working. What you get depends on:

where you live - each council runs its own schemeyour circumstances - for example, your income, number of children, benefits and residency statusyour household income - this includes savings, pensions and your partner’s incomeif your children live with youif other adults live with you

How to apply

To apply for the tax reduction, you simply need to enter your postcode on the government website.