Contact Birmingham Council Tax Support: Phone, Post and Benefits Service

No Walk-Ins: All Customer Service Centres Are Closed

Birmingham City Council permanently closed all walk-in Customer Service Centres. You cannot turn up at a council office and speak to someone about Council Tax Support. This catches many residents off guard, especially those who dealt with council tax at a physical office in the past.

All contact is now remote — online, by post, or by phone — with limited face-to-face access through pre-booked community appointments.

By Post

The postal address for all Council Tax Support correspondence is:

Benefit Service, PO Box 8267, Birmingham, B4 7XF

Use this address for:

• Paper CTS application forms (request one first)
• Self-employed income declaration forms
• Supporting documents you can't upload digitally (send photocopies, not originals)
• Backdating requests and grievance letters
• Change of circumstances notifications

Always include your name, address, National Insurance number, and Council Tax account reference so the documents get matched to your file. Keep copies of everything you send.

By Phone

Connected Communities appointment helpline: 0121 216 3030 — Call to book an appointment for face-to-face welfare advice.

Citizens Advice Birmingham: 0808 278 7990 — Free, independent advice on council tax, benefits, and debt. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Their city-centre office at Wellington House on Waterloo Street is administrative only — no drop-ins.

Online

The Citizen Access Portal at birmingham.gov.uk handles CTS applications, change of circumstances reports, and account management. For CTS specifically, start at birmingham.gov.uk/CTS.

Face-to-Face: Connected Communities

If you need in-person help — because you can't navigate the portal, can't upload documents, or need someone to walk you through the application — the Connected Communities network offers face-to-face welfare advice.

But you can't walk in. Access is by appointment only:

1. Visit your local public library and ask for a referral to Connected Communities
2. Or call the Cost of Living helpline on 0121 216 3030 and request an appointment

The appointments are delivered through community centres and libraries across Birmingham, in partnership with Citizens Advice Birmingham and Birmingham Settlement. They offer welfare and money advice, including assisted digital support. Ask when booking what help is available for your application, and bring your documents.

Free Specialist Help

If your council tax situation involves debt, enforcement, or a dispute you can't resolve:

• StepChange Debt Charity: 0800 138 1111 (free debt advice and repayment plans)
• National Debtline: 0800 808 4000 (free, confidential debt guidance)
• Central England Law Centre: Specialist welfare rights legal support, though caseloads are heavy

For the complete Birmingham CTS process — application, backdating, appeals, and hardship fund — see the Birmingham Council Tax Reduction Guide.

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