Bristol Council Tax Hardship Fund and Section 13A Discretionary Relief

Council Tax Reduction covers part or all of your bill based on the means test, but sometimes the remaining amount is still more than you can pay. That's where Bristol's discretionary hardship relief comes in — a separate safety net that sits above the main CTR scheme.

Section 13A Discretionary Relief

Under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Bristol City Council maintains a formal "Council Tax Discretionary Relief Policy" (Document 8439). This gives the council power to reduce or clear the remaining council tax balance on your account when you're in severe financial hardship.

The key rule: you must have already claimed everything you're entitled to — standard CTR, any statutory discounts (single person discount, disabled band reduction, SMI exemption), and any other reliefs. Section 13A is the last resort, not the first.

To qualify, you need to demonstrate that:

• Your net income after essential living costs (food, heating, medical needs) is insufficient to cover the remaining council tax
• You have no non-essential capital assets that could be used to pay
• You've exhausted all other available support

Awards are discretionary — the council isn't obligated to grant them. They're temporary and are credited directly to your council tax account rather than paid to you.

How to Apply for Section 13A Relief

Submit a written request through the council's webform at bristol.gov.uk/counciltaxenquiry, or post it to the Revenues team. Include:

• A detailed income and expenditure breakdown
• Evidence of all current benefits and awards
• Bank statements showing your current financial position
• An explanation of the specific circumstances causing hardship

A written request is assessed by the Revenues team on a case-by-case basis.

The Crisis Payment Scheme

Separate from Section 13A, Bristol runs a Crisis Payment Scheme (formerly the Local Crisis and Prevention Fund) for immediate emergencies. This isn't specifically a council tax programme — it provides emergency food vouchers and essential household goods to people in acute crisis.

If you need immediate help with food or essentials, apply through bristol.gov.uk or visit the Citizen Service Point at 100 Temple Street, Bristol BS1 6AG. Successful applicants collect supermarket vouchers or emergency goods in person.

Eligibility is assessed on immediate need, not ongoing council tax affordability.

Care Leavers and Terminally Ill Residents

Two specific groups get dedicated discretionary relief in Bristol:

• Care leavers aged 18–25 can receive up to 100% discretionary relief, verified through Bristol City Council's Through Care team. This is applied after standard discounts and can reduce remaining liability to zero.
• Terminally ill residents can receive up to 100% discretionary relief from 1 November 2025 onwards. An SR1 form from a medical professional or a doctor's letter confirming the diagnosis is required, submitted via the online enquiry form.

When You're Facing Enforcement

If you're already behind on council tax and facing a summons or liability order, hardship relief won't retrospectively clear enforcement costs. But it can reduce the ongoing liability that's driving the debt.

For urgent debt and enforcement situations, contact a free debt advice service immediately — don't wait for a discretionary relief decision. StepChange (0800 138 1111) and National Debtline (0808 808 4000) both provide free, confidential priority debt advice. Locally, Citizens Advice Bristol (0808 278 7957) and Talking Money (0800 121 4511) can help negotiate with the council on your behalf.

The Bristol Council Tax Reduction guide maps the full hardship relief route, including a Section 13A application framework and a directory of local crisis support services.

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