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GrantScotland

Council Tax Reduction (Scotland)

Local councils (Scotland), under a national scheme set by the Scottish 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 framework set by the Scottish Government (unlike England, where each council sets its own scheme). Administered locally by each council but with consistent national eligibility rules. Recipients typically save around £750 a year on average, and can also get up to 35% off water and waste charges alongside the Council Tax reduction itself.

Amount

Up to 100% of your Council Tax bill; average saving is around £750 a year. Can also reduce water and waste charges by up to 35% for recipients.

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

  • Available in: Scotland.
  • 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. Several council-specific Scottish Welfare Fund and local crisis-fund entries elsewhere reference Council Tax Reduction as a passporting or eligibility factor — this is the underlying scheme itself. Re-verified Aug 2026: the standalone mygov.scot/council-tax-reduction page has been retired (now 404s) and its content folded into mygov.scot's general Council Tax discounts/exemptions/reductions page — officialUrl updated accordingly. Core mechanics (up to 100%, ~450,000 households supported), the ~£750/year average saving, and the up-to-35% water/waste charge reduction were all re-confirmed current.
Requirement
Liable to pay Council Tax, with savings below £16,000 and a low income from benefits, work, or self-employment — open to anyone who is assessed as low-income, not only existing benefit recipients.

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How to apply

Apply via your local council — mygov.scot links through to each council's own application — assessed against your and your household's income, savings, and circumstances.

View official source

Other areas' version of this scheme

Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) is run locally — here's the same scheme in other areas.

Grant

Council Tax Reduction (England)

Local councils (England)

A means-tested reduction — up to 100% — in a household's Council Tax bill for people on a low income or certain benefits. Unlike Scotland and Wales, England has no single national scheme: since 2013, every one of England's councils runs its own Local Council Tax Support scheme within a loose national framework, so maximum support, income thresholds, and whether working-age claimants can ever get 100% support vary significantly by council. Pension-age claimants are more protected nationally — anyone receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit is entitled to up to 100% support under rules that are more standardised across councils than the working-age schemes.

Up to 100% of your Council Tax bill, though the maximum support and income thresholds vary significantly by council — pension-age claimants on Guarantee Credit are entitled to up to 100% support under more standardised national rules; working-age schemes are set locally.Rolling / no fixed deadlineEngland

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