All About Council Tax Benefit

If you need financial help to pay your Council Tax bill, you may be able to get Council Tax Benefit. You may also get Second Adult Rebate if you share your home with another adult (not your partner or civil partner) who's unable to pay towards the Council Tax.

Council Tax and Housing benefit are claimed from Pendle Council. You will apply for both on the same form and the Benefits Team will let you know how much you are entitled to.

To apply you must complete a claim form:

• Contact Customer Services on 01282 661800 to request a claim form, or collect one from one of our Council shops or district offices.
  
• Get independent help and advice - view the list of advice centres
  
• If you are unable to get out easily contact the Benefits Team on 01282 661800 and we will arrange to send a Visiting Officer to your home.

When you complete a claim form you will be told what information and evidence that you need to give us to support your claim.  You will be asked to give us proof of your identity, income, capital and details of anyone else who lives with you. We can only accept original documents as proof of these things. We cannot accept copies.

Please do not be put off from claiming. We have a team of Benefit Advisors to help you. We can help you fill in the form and we will tell you what else you need to do. We may also be able to help you get the proof that you need.

You can help us deal with your claim quickly by:

• answering all the questions on the claim form
• giving us proof of all your details as soon as possible
• replying straight away if we ask you for any more information
• contacting us quickly if there is something that you do not understand

Home visiting service

You can request a home visit by contacting our Visiting Team on 01282 661832.  You can also contact the Benefits Section enquiry line on 01282 661800.

We will ask for you name, address and telephone number and why you need a visit. You will then be contacted within one working day to arrange a date and time for a Visiting Officer to call. We aim to visit you within 5 working days of your request for a home visit.

Who will come and see me?

We have a dedicated team of visiting officers and a team of benefit officers who all undertake home visits..

When an officer calls at your home they will have identification to show you who they are.