Buckinghamshire Council Tax Hardship Fund: How to Apply for Section 13A Help

Even with a 75% or 50% Council Tax Reduction discount, the remaining bill can be unmanageable when money is genuinely tight. Buckinghamshire Council operates an Exceptional Hardship Fund — a separate, discretionary safety net under Section 13A(1)(a) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 — for residents who can't meet their residual council tax liability. It's not well publicised, it's not guaranteed, and it has its own application process distinct from the standard CTR claim.

What the Hardship Fund Is

The Exceptional Hardship Fund (EHF) provides short-term financial relief by reducing or writing off the remaining council tax balance for households facing severe financial hardship. Awards are discretionary and assessed case by case by senior revenues officers. There is no statutory right to a payment — it's entirely at the council's judgement.

The Council says an EHF award can be a one-off or ongoing payment to your Council Tax account.

Who Can Apply

In most cases, you should already be receiving Council Tax Reduction or have a CTR application in progress. The fund is intended as a top-up for households whose CTR discount still leaves them unable to pay. However, in exceptional circumstances, the council may consider applications from residents who don't qualify for CTR at all — for example, someone whose savings are marginally above the £6,000 capital limit but who faces a short-term financial crisis.

There's no income band requirement for the hardship fund. It operates outside the CTR scheme entirely — your Band 2 or Band 3 CTR placement doesn't determine your EHF eligibility. What matters is whether you can demonstrate genuine financial hardship.

How to Apply

The application process is separate from CTR and runs through a different route:

1. Open Buckinghamshire Council's CTR and hardship support page and select "Apply for discretionary help"
2. Download and complete the Income and Expenditure Form — this is a detailed financial disclosure document available in PDF or DOCX format from the council. It requires you to list all household income, all outgoings (rent, utilities, food, travel, debt repayments), and your total capital
3. Gather supporting evidence — three months of bank statements, plus any documentation relevant to your hardship: medical records if health is a factor, letters about job loss, debt correspondence, or benefit award changes
4. Submit the form and evidence through the online service, following its instructions

What the Council Considers

Senior officers assess each application against several factors:

• Whether you've already claimed all the benefits and discounts you're entitled to (CTR, single person discount, disability reductions)
• Whether your outgoings are reasonable or include non-essential spending
• Whether the hardship is temporary (a redundancy, a health crisis) or structural
• Whether any other sources of help are available — for example, a discretionary housing payment to cover rent could free up money for council tax

The council won't usually approve a hardship award if you haven't first applied for Council Tax Reduction. And if your Income and Expenditure Form shows significant spending on non-essentials while claiming you can't afford the council tax, that weakens your case.

Section 13A(1)(c) — A Different Power

There's a related but distinct provision — Section 13A(1)(c) — that gives the council discretionary authority to reduce council tax liability. Buckinghamshire Council says you can apply under this route if you have applied for CTR and discretionary hardship help but do not qualify, or still cannot afford your Council Tax. You must show that you are vulnerable and experiencing significant financial hardship. Any reduction is funded entirely by the council's general fund (not central government).

For most residents facing financial difficulty, the Exceptional Hardship Fund under Section 13A(1)(a) is the relevant route.

Other Help Available

If your financial situation involves debt — especially council tax arrears, bailiff threats, or liability orders — the hardship fund isn't the right starting point. Contact free debt advice services first:

• Citizens Advice Bucks: freephone 0808 278 7938
• StepChange: 0800 138 1111
• National Debtline: 0808 808 4000

The Buckinghamshire Helping Hand Team (01296 531151) also provides local welfare support and crisis aid, and can direct you to food banks and emergency assistance.

Our Buckinghamshire Council Tax Reduction guide walks through the hardship fund application step by step, including how to complete the Income and Expenditure Form to present your case effectively.

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