Apply for Council Tax Support
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.
Apply online
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.
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
Please note, if you’re moving to a different council area, you may need to apply for Universal Credit.
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 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.
How to get your original documents to us
Post them to:
Bournemouth residents
Revenues and Benefits
Town Hall
St Stephens Road
Bournemouth
BH2 6DY
Christchurch and Poole residents
Revenues and Benefits
PO Box 722
Poole
BH15 2YE.
If you need help
Please contact us for any help you need with online forms or evidence submission.