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Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Wales)

Local councils (Wales), under a national scheme set by the Welsh Government

Description

A means-tested reduction — up to 100% — in a household's Council Tax bill for people on a low income, run under a single national scheme set by the Welsh Government and applied consistently across all Welsh councils (unlike England, where each council runs its own version). Supports over 256,000 low-income households across Wales and is uprated periodically to reflect cost-of-living changes.

Amount

Up to 100% of your Council Tax bill, depending on income, savings, and household circumstances

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

  • Available in: Wales.
  • Open to individuals — not restricted to businesses.
  • Relevant income bands: earning under the Personal Allowance.
Notes
Distinct from the Council Tax Disabled Band Reduction Scheme (a non-means-tested band reduction for adapted properties) also covered separately in this directory, and from business rates relief. Several council-specific Discretionary Assistance Fund and local hardship-fund entries elsewhere in this directory reference Council Tax Reduction Scheme receipt as an eligibility or automatic-payment factor — this is the underlying scheme itself. Re-verified Aug 2026 against the Welsh Government's 2025-26 annual report: over 257,000 households were supported that year (over 218,000 paying no Council Tax at all), with the scheme uprated and continuing to support 'over 256,000' households into 2026-27 — the figure already recorded here.
Requirement
Liable to pay Council Tax on your main home in Wales, with a low income and limited savings — assessed under nationally-set rules, though applications are made to (and administered by) your own local authority.

Want help with this application?

This one is usually simple enough to do yourself using the free official link below — but if you'd rather have help, we're building relationships with vetted professionals and can let you know if that becomes available.

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You can also do this yourself for free via the official source

How to apply

Apply to your own local council's Council Tax team — gov.wales explains the national scheme rules, but applications and administration happen locally.

View official source

Last verified: 23 August 2026. See the footer disclaimer — this is general information, not financial or tax advice.