Help available for those facing difficulty paying their council tax

RESIDENTS in Bridgend county borough who are facing difficulty paying their council tax as a direct result of the coronavirus will have the possibility of deferring their council tax payments over the next couple of months to later in the financial year.

While the local authority gets the majority of its revenue funding from Welsh Government, it relies on council tax collection to help pay for its services.

It currently funds almost 30% of the council’s budget.

Council leader Huw David said: “We know people are very worried about losing their jobs in these uncertain times, some already have, and we will do all we can to help.

“There are residents who don’t need any help with their council tax but there are lots of people that do due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

“If people have any issues, please get in touch with us and we will work with them.

“People can apply for a council tax reduction which helps people on low incomes to pay their council tax – you are eligible if you are claiming job seeker’s allowance or income support, or if your income is below a certain level.

“You are also eligible if you are receiving universal credit. If people pay their instalments over 10 months, this can be extended to 12 months.

“Alternatively they can defer their April and May instalments to February and March 2021, giving a reduced cost each month.

“If people already pay over 12 instalments, they can start their payments a few months later with the remaining instalments increasing to cover the full year’s charge.”

Residents can apply for a council tax reduction via the My Account service on bridgend.gov.uk

Bridgend County Borough Council offers:

Single person discount (25% for one adult living alone in a property).

Discounts of between 25% and 50% for full-time students, student nurses, youth training trainees and apprentices, residential hospital patients, people being looked after in care homes, people staying in certain hostels or night shelters, 18 and 19-yearolds who are at or who have just left school, low paid care workers who are usually employed by a charity, people in prison, members of religious communities (monks or nuns), and people caring for someone with a disability who is not a spouse, partner, or son or daughter under 18,

Discount of 100% for people with a severe mental impairment living alone.

Discount of 25% for two people living together if one of them does not have a severe mental impairment.