Council Tax Reduction Scheme
If your income has reduced as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and you are concerned about your Council Tax, South Hams District Council may be able to help.
Anyone on a low income can apply to our Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Council Tax Reduction – Apply Now
If you are already receiving council tax reduction, you can apply to our Emergency Hardship fund.
Emergency Hardship Fund – Apply Now
Full information in regards to the funding available has not yet been released by the Government and we will advise accordingly when it is. However, if you are struggling, don’t delay in making an application.
If you are not working
If you are not working because of coronavirus, you might be able to claim benefits (the scheme is called Universal Credit) if you’ve lost your job or you’re self employed and can’t get work. What you can claim will depend on your situation.
Universal Credit is claimed online with the Department of Work and Pensions and help with Council Tax is available from Council Tax Reduction and also an Exceptional Hardship Scheme. If you already receive help towards your housing costs and require further assistance you can make an application to our Discretionary Housing Payment Fund.
You can claim help towards your council tax liability by completing an application for Council Tax Reduction:
Self Employed
If you are self employed and struggling during the coronavirus outbreak, the Government has announced a new support package for you.
You can claim a taxable grant worth 80% of your trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 for the next three months.
Can I apply?
You can apply if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you:
- have submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19
- traded in the tax year 2019-20
- are trading when you apply, or would be except for COVID-19
- intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020-21
- have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19
Your self-employed trading profits must also be less than £50,000 and more than half of your income come from self-employment. This is determined by at least one of the following conditions being true:
- having trading profits/partnership trading profits in 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your total taxable income
- having average trading profits in 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your average taxable income in the same period
If you started trading between 2016-19, HMRC will only use those years for which you filed a Self-Assessment tax return.
Benefits
If you are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and you need to help towards rental costs on the property you live in, then you need to make an application for Universal Credit.
You must not claim Housing Benefit unless you fall into one of the following categories:
- You are of pension age.
- You or your partner receive severe disablement allowance.
- You live in temporary or supported accommodation.
If you already receive Housing Benefit and need further help, please see Extra Financial Help to make an application for Discretionary Housing Payments.
For those with queries about benefit claims – new and existing – in relation to coronavirus, please use the button below:
Find out about Universal Credit
If you are self-employed and claiming Universal Credit and are required to stay at home or are ill as a result of coronavirus, the Minimum Income Floor (an assumed level of income) will not be applied for a period of time whilst you are affected. From 6 April the requirements of the Minimum Income Floor will be temporarily relaxed. This change will apply to all Universal Credit claimants and will last for the duration of the outbreak.
Full information in regards to the funding available has not yet been released by the Government and we will advise accordingly when it is. However, if you are struggling, don’t delay in making an application.
If you are having difficulty paying your bills
The Citizens Advice website has lots of information and advice.
There are things you can do if you are struggling to pay bills like your rent, mortgage or energy bills because of coronavirus. Speak to the organisation that you owe money to. They might be able to help you by letting you pay smaller amounts or take a payment holiday. It is also worth checking with your bank or building society – they might be able to help you with your debts or let you delay loan or credit card repayments or have a payment holiday.
Free online training from Learn Devon
Learn Devon, who provide our adult community learning courses, has launched a new range of free support to people who may have been made redundant or are seeking work, and people who just want to improve their digital skills. That could include volunteers supporting the pandemic response, and people who are self-isolating, and businesses generally.
The training will include online courses and tutor-led learning to enable people to look after their mental health. Enrolment is now open, and the free online training will start on Friday 1 May.
To find out more, please visit the Learn Devon website or phone 0345 155 1014.