When your Council Tax Support is calculated, we’ll work out your entitlement for the full financial year (up to 31 March), and this will be shown as a credit on your Council Tax bill.

If your circumstances change during that financial year, the amount of Council Tax Support credited to your bill may need to change. This will also change the amount you pay towards your Council Tax.

To see how your Council Tax is calculated, your up-to-date Council Tax bill and to arrange for payment, go to your online account.

Bournemouth residents:

Christchurch residents:

Poole residents:

When your Council Tax Support will start

If you qualify for Council Tax Support, we’ll normally pay your benefit from the Monday following the day your completed claim form is received.

Backdating

If you have a good reason for not claiming Council Tax Support earlier, you can ask us to consider backdating your claim.

Backdating – State Pension age

If you, or your partner, are of State Pension credit-qualifying age we may be able to backdate your benefit up to three months before the date your claim is received (if you were entitled to benefit for that period).

We do not need to know why you did not claim sooner to backdate your benefit. For us to work out how much benefit you will be entitled to, you need to give us proof of your income, savings and rent for the period you want to claim.

Backdating – working age

If you are of working age and have a good reason for not claiming Council Tax Support earlier, you can ask us to consider backdating your claim.

If you think you have a good reason for making a claim late, you should tell us in writing straight away. You must tell us the period you want to backdate your Council Tax Support for and tell us why your claim is late.

The maximum period that can be considered for backdating is up to one month from the date of the request.

We’ll consider:

• each claim on its individual circumstances
• other things which may have affected your ability to claim such as your age, health and other circumstances

Not knowing you could claim Council Tax Support is not considered to be ‘good cause’.

Please contact us for any help you need with Council Tax Support.