Brent Council Tax Hardship Fund Affordability Passport: How Open Banking Speeds Up Your Application

What the Affordability Passport Is

When you apply for Brent's Discretionary Council Tax Hardship Fund, the council needs a clear picture of your finances — income, outgoings, and whether you genuinely can't afford the remaining council tax after your standard CTR reduction. Traditionally, this means gathering bank statements, utility bills, rent receipts, and other paperwork.

The Affordability Passport is Brent's optional open-banking alternative to manually submitting bank statements. Before authorising it, review the consent details for the provider, permissions, and information shared with Brent.

How Open Banking Works Here

Open banking is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. When you consent to the Affordability Passport, check:

• Which provider connects to your bank and what permissions it requests
• Whether the connection is read-only and whether it allows any transactions
• What transaction history the provider accesses and how it is categorised
• What summary or other information is shared with the council
• How long access remains active and how you can revoke it

The assessment is intended to show whether you have a genuine affordability gap — whether your essential costs exceed your income after council tax.

You Don't Have to Use It

The Affordability Passport is optional. If you'd rather submit traditional bank statements and paperwork, that's still accepted. The hardship fund application form works either way.

There are practical reasons you might choose one route over the other:

Affordability Passport advantages:

• Faster processing — the council gets a standardised financial summary immediately
• Less paperwork for you — no scanning, photographing, or uploading bank statements
• Categorised spending makes it easier for the assessor to see your situation at a glance

Traditional submission advantages:

• You control exactly what the council sees
• Some people are uncomfortable with open banking connections, even read-only ones
• If your bank isn't supported by the open banking provider, you'll need the traditional route anyway

Either way, you need to demonstrate the same thing: that after receiving your standard CTR award, the remaining council tax liability causes you exceptional financial hardship.

Who the Hardship Fund Is For

The Affordability Passport is just the evidence mechanism — the eligibility criteria are the same regardless of how you submit your finances.

To qualify for the hardship fund, you must:

• Already be receiving Council Tax Reduction (this is a top-up, not a standalone benefit)
• Be unable to afford the remaining council tax after your CTR award
• Be experiencing exceptional financial circumstances

The fund has a £1.5 million annual allocation, funded from Brent's budget specifically to cushion the impact of the 35% minimum payment introduced in April 2025. Awards are temporary — they cover the current tax year only and don't create an ongoing entitlement.

If you're refused, you have a statutory right to appeal the decision to the Valuation Tribunal for England.

Applying for the Hardship Fund

Whether you use the Affordability Passport or traditional evidence, the application process is:

1. Write a formal application titled "Section 13A(1)(c) Hardship Application"
2. Submit it to Brent's Revenues and Benefits service
3. Provide evidence of your income and essential living expenses (via Affordability Passport or bank statements)
4. Explain why the remaining council tax liability after CTR causes exceptional hardship

Be specific about your circumstances. The council is looking for a genuine affordability gap, not just a tight budget. If your rent, utilities, and food costs leave nothing for council tax after your CTR reduction, that's the kind of situation the fund is designed for.

Our Brent Council Tax Reduction guide includes a hardship application checklist and walks through how to build a strong case, including what evidence to emphasise and how to structure your written submission.

For free help preparing your application, contact Citizens Advice Brent on 0808 278 7898 — they regularly support residents through the hardship fund process.

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