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Who is eligible?

You no longer have to claim an Extended Payment of Council Tax Benefit if you or your partner or civil partner (and they remain a partner throughout the claim) have stopped getting one of the benefits mentioned below because one of you is expected to do one of the following for five weeks or more:

and you’ve been getting one of the following

or

and

• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income Support
• Employment and Support Allowance (disabled people section)
• Incapacity Benefit

How much do you get?

Normally you’ll get the same amount of Council Tax Benefit as you did before your income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, income-related Employment & Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or contributory Employment & Support Allowance stopped.

• Council Tax Benefit
• Severe Disablement Allowance

How it's paid

It's deducted from your Council Tax bill in the usual way.

When your Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment & Support Allowance stops because you start work or have a change of circumstances, your local council will check how long you’ve been getting them.

When your Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or contributory Employment & Support Allowance stops because you start work or have a change of circumstances, your local council will check how long you’ve been getting them.

In either case, your local council will decide whether or not you’re entitled to an extended payment.

What else you need to know

Your local council will consider whether you are also entitled to in-work Council Tax Benefit. Once your extended payment period has ended, you can move onto in-work Council Tax Benefit (provided you are entitled to it) without having to make a new claim.

How to appeal

If you are refused Council Tax Benefit or the Extended Payment you can ask your local council to look again at the decision.

If you’re still unhappy with the outcome, you can appeal to an independent Appeal Tribunal.

• How to appeal against your Council Tax bill
• A to Z of local councils

More useful links

• On a low income benefits
• Local Housing Allowance - rent help for private tenants
• Council Tax reduction for disabled people (disabled people section)
• How to catch up if you've got little or no pension
• Beginner's guide to tax