You could be eligible for a discount on your council tax bill in Reading as rates have recently increased by the maximum amount.
Each year, council tax rates are set by Reading Borough Council for the financial year that begins in April.
Councillors agreed to increase council tax by 4.99 per cent this year, which is the maximum amount it can raise the rate without having to call a referendum.
Of that, 2.99 per cent will be invested in providing council services, with a two per cent increase being ringfenced to pay for adult social care.
A person can apply for a discount using a council webpage.
University students do not have to pay council tax.
Discounts typically apply to those who receive state benefits, and also for people who are the sole occupant of their home.
A single occupant can get a 25 per cent discount.
Also, in October 2023, the council approved a scaled discount for care leavers, applying to people who were previously supported by its children’s services.
This discount lowers the financial burden of council tax on these people, but ends once the person reaches 25.
In some cases, a person can receive a full exemption from having to pay council tax.
This can apply if a person is severely mentally impaired, the property is used by the armed forces, and for self-contained annexes occupied by elderly or disabled relatives.
Those who own an annexe which is not self-contained can apply for a 50 per cent discount for the annexe.
A full exemption can also apply to unoccupied properties if the occupant is in prison or it is unoccupied because it is waiting to be occupied by a religious minister.
Information about all the discounts and exemptions can be found online.
The procedure for determining discounts for those in receipt of council tax support and housing benefits payments is conducted using an automated verification system.
The council uses a risk-based verification policy to process claims quickly and efficiently.
The continued use of the verification system was noted by the council’s audit and governance committee.
Samantha Wills a revenues and benefit manager at the council said: “We’ve had risk-based verification for 15 years following a recommendation from the Department of Work and Pensions.
“Risk-based verification is an automated process that works alongside our online application system, and by scoring the risk of each claim, it allows staff to focus on higher-risk claims, and spend less time verifying lower-risk claims.
“And this process helps catch fraud and errors, improves customer services, it also helps staff work more efficiently and speeds up the processing of new claims.”
However, the details of how the verification system are confidential.
The committee noted the policy when it met yesterday (Wednesday, April 9).
