Before you apply, check that you are eligible for Council Tax Support.

Please apply for Council Tax Support online if you can. This speeds things up, saves public money and gives us more time to support those who can't apply online.

While you wait to hear the outcome of your application, you must not withhold payment or part payment of your Council Tax.

How much you can claim

Use the online benefit calculator as a guide to how much you might be able to claim.

How to apply

Use our online form to apply for Council Tax Support.

For Bournemouth residents:

For Christchurch and Poole residents:

This policy gives us permission to accept online claims and changes.

When to claim

Send your claim in to us as soon as possible, even if you do not have all the requested documents. This means we can begin processing your application as quickly as possible. You may lose benefit you are entitled to if you delay.

Backdated claims

Backdated claims for working age people

You need to:

• explain why you did not claim earlier
• provide evidence of your income for the period of backdating

One month from when you make the request for backdating.

Backdated claims for people of state pension age

If you are of state pension age, then the maximum backdating period is three months for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support. You do not need to explain why you did not claim earlier, but you will need to provide evidence of your income during the backdating period.

Self-employed assessment form

If you’re applying for Council Tax Support and you or your partner are self-employed, we normally need you to provide a current profit and loss account. We cannot calculate your income from receipts and or weekly/monthly income and expenditure records.

If you do not have a profit and loss account, please complete and then submit the online Supplementary self-employed earnings information form:

• Bournemouth residents - Supplementary self-employed earnings information form
• Christchurch and Poole residents - Supplementary self-employed earnings information form

If you need help applying, please contact us and we’ll do what we can to help you.

Recover a saved form

If you wish to recover a partially completed form, please note that we only keep partially completed forms for 30 days.

Report changes online

Let us know about a change in your circumstances, such as changing address.

If you’re already claiming Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support and your Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based), Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related) or Pension Credit (Guarantee) has ended, please complete the following:

Bournemouth residents

Complete the Bournemouth online - change of circumstances form.

Christchurch and Poole residents

Change of address: Complete the Christchurch and Poole - online change of address form.

Please note, if you’re moving to a different council area, you may need to apply for Universal Credit.

All other changes in circumstances: For all other changes in circumstances, complete the Christchurch and Poole - online change of circumstances form.

Please provide supporting evidence for your claim straight away. Supporting evidence must be provided within one month of the date your form is received.

Sending us the evidence we need

Send your form to us as soon as possible, even if you do not have all the requested documents. This means we can begin processing your application as quickly as possible.

Evidence we can accept electronically

We can accept electronic evidence such as digital photos, scanned images and email documents to support new claims and changes in circumstances.

Evidence such as a certificate of rent, tenancy agreement, wage slips, earnings certificates, bank statements, Department for Works and Pension letters, self-employed accounts, utility bills, birth certificates for children can all be accepted electronically.

Scanned images must be clear and legible. Please ensure the original documents have not been tampered with before being scanned, such as Tippex or alterations.

If we have any doubts about the images we receive, we may still ask to see the original documents.

Where to send your evidence electronically

Bournemouth residents

Email benefits.bournemouth@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.

Do not forget to provide your name, address, National Insurance number and/or a reference number in the subject line.

Christchurch and Poole residents

Complete the online form and attach your documents.

Original documents

You must send us the original documents being used as identification, and proof of a National Insurance number for either the claimant and/or partner, like a passport or driving licence.

Post them to:

Revenues and Benefits Services
BCP Council Civic Centre
Bourne Avenue
Bournemouth
BH2 6DY

If you need help

Please contact us for any help you need with online forms or evidence submission.