10 January 2005 - Don’t pay more Council Tax than you need to, Minister tells pensioners
A national press advertising campaign starts today to stop pensioners missing out on an average £426 towards their council tax bills.
Adverts will go in national newspapers with the message “Cut your council tax – find out if you should be paying less.”
Up to four out of ten pensioners fail to apply for Council Tax Benefit and three quarters of a billion pounds goes unclaimed by pensioners each year. Less than half of all home-owners, many of whom are pensioners, are claiming the money they are entitled to.
Some pensioners are missing out on a 100 per cent rebate. On top they may be due arrears back to last January, bringing a possible extra cash windfall.
Council Tax Benefit Minister Chris Pond said: "My message to pensioners is - don't pay more than you need to. If you are entitled to Council Tax Benefit I want you to get every penny owed.
"Some pensioners may wrongly believe, for any number of reasons, that they might not qualify for a council tax rebate, for example, because they live in a big house or own their home. It is crucial that central and local government and voluntary organisations work together to ensure that pensioners get the money they deserve.
"If in doubt, there's no harm in checking – contact your local council to see if you are entitled.
"Claiming is easier than ever, we've made the claim form shorter and new rules mean once you’ve successfully applied for Council Tax Benefit you don’t have to re-apply every year.
Cllr Sir Jeremy Beecham, vice chair of the Local Government Association, said: “We know council tax impacts on low income groups the hardest and benefit is a way of reducing that tax – not getting a handout. But despite major efforts from councils to promote Council Tax Benefit, take-up especially amongst pensioners is still too low - with around £1 billion a year left unclaimed overall.
“Although the LGA looks to the longer term solution of local government financial reform, encouraging and supporting vulnerable groups to claim the benefit they are owed is something both local and central government can help to deliver now. As such this latest campaign cannot come soon enough and I know local councils will continue to do all they can to support it.”
The Department for Work and Pensions is continuing to work closely with local authorities to raise awareness of Council Tax Benefit in their area and encourage take-up during the campaign.
Next week the regional press will start carrying adverts in a campaign that will cover the whole of Great Britain. Also, to help raise awareness of Council Tax Benefit we’ve made flyers, leaflets and posters available to over 20,000 organisations that deal with older people and to all local councils in England, Scotland and Wales.
Notes for editors
- Council Tax Benefit is paid as a rebate on the council tax bill. It is administered by Local Authorities on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, and claim forms are available from the local council.
- If a pensioner wants to apply for Pension Credit, they should call the Pension Credit Application Line on 0800 99 1234 and as part of this process The Pension Service can also send them a Council Tax Benefit claim form.
- The advertising campaign will cost £720,000. Adverts in the national press will run for one week in January. This will be followed by two weeks of extensive regional press advertising (in the last two weeks of January). A further burst of regional press advertising runs for one week in March, to coincide with council tax bills being issued.
- More information on Council Tax Benefit is available at www.dwp.gov.uk
For more information contact Madeleine Jamieson 0207 238 0723, Kathy Barlow on 020 7238 0766 or John Fennessy on 0207 238 0762.
Press office: 020 7238 0866
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk