Using Barnet MyAccount for Council Tax Reduction: Forms and Portal Guide

Barnet handles Council Tax Reduction applications through its digital portal system, but the council actually uses multiple online platforms for different purposes. Knowing which form goes where saves you from submitting evidence to the wrong place or waiting for a response that will never come.

MyAccount: Your Council Tax Dashboard

Barnet's MyAccount is the main digital service platform. After registering, you can view your council tax balance, see your current instalment schedule, check whether any discounts or reductions have been applied, and track the status of applications.

MyAccount links to Barnet's back-office Civica OPEN Revenues system, so changes to your account — a new CTR award, a revised demand notice, an overpayment adjustment — appear here. It is the place to check whether your application has been processed and what amount you now owe.

The CTR Application Form

The actual Council Tax Reduction application is submitted through Barnet's online portal, which is accessed via the council tax support section of barnet.gov.uk. The form asks for your council tax account reference (the 10-digit number on your demand notice), your personal details, household composition, income, and capital.

You will need to upload evidence during or after the application. Barnet requires specific formats — not screenshots or partial documents. For Universal Credit claimants, this means the full multi-page PDF statement from your UC online journal showing every element, deduction, and verified earnings figure. For employed applicants without UC, you need five consecutive weekly payslips, three fortnightly, or two monthly.

If you cannot upload documents online, you can request telephone assistance on 020 8359 2000 (Option 2) or schedule an appointment. A third-party representative — a family member, an adviser, or a support worker — can complete the form on your behalf if they upload a signed Third-Party Consent Form or Power of Attorney document.

The Benefits General Form

This is a separate form from the initial CTR application. The Benefits General Form is used for:

• Reporting changes of circumstances after your initial claim
• Submitting additional evidence requested by the council
• Submitting a written grievance against a CTR decision (the mandatory first step before a Valuation Tribunal appeal)
• Requesting a backdating assessment

Make sure you use this form (not MyAccount's general contact form) for these purposes. Evidence submitted through the wrong channel may not reach the Benefits team, leading to your claim being suspended or rejected for non-response.

The Grant Approval Portal

If you need to apply for Council Tax Discretionary Relief (CTDR) — Barnet's hardship fund — this goes through a separate external website called the Grant Approval portal. It is not part of MyAccount and requires its own registration. The CTDR application asks for three months of bank statements, a detailed income and expenditure breakdown, your tenancy agreement, and any supporting medical or social agency letters.

Phone support for CTDR applications is available on 020 8359 4242 or by emailing [email protected].

Tips for a Smooth Submission

The most common cause of delays is incomplete evidence. Before starting your application, gather everything listed in the evidence requirements. Upload full documents, not screenshots. Make sure bank statements cover three consecutive months and are unredacted — Barnet will reject partially obscured statements.

Save a confirmation or screenshot of every submission, along with the date. If Barnet later claims evidence was not received, proof of your submission date protects you.

For a complete evidence checklist and step-by-step application walkthrough, see our Barnet Council Tax Reduction guide.

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