Greenwich Council Tax Reduction Documents Needed: Full Evidence Checklist

Why Evidence Matters

Incomplete evidence is the single biggest reason LCTS applications in Greenwich stall. After you submit the online form, the council sends an automated checklist email listing exactly what they need. You then have one calendar month to get everything in. Missing the deadline can lead to your claim being closed, so contact the council promptly if you cannot meet it.

Getting your documents together before you start the form saves time and protects your claim date.

Identity and Address

Greenwich accepts a valid passport, UK driving licence, or national identity card as primary identification. If you do not have any of these, a utility bill less than three months old or a current tenancy agreement can serve as secondary proof of your address.

Earned Income

For employed applicants: five consecutive weekly payslips, two monthly payslips, or three fortnightly payslips. If your employer does not issue regular payslips, an official letter confirming your gross pay and contracted hours works instead.

For self-employed applicants: audited accounts, HMRC tax return summaries, or the council's own self-employed trading form. If you do not have formal accounts, an income and expense ledger with receipts covering the past three to twelve months is accepted.

State Benefits and Universal Credit

You need your latest Universal Credit full award statement — all pages, showing the complete breakdown of standard allowance, housing element, child elements, and any earned income deducted. This is available in your UC online journal.

For other benefits, provide the most recent DWP award letters for PIP, DLA, ESA, Carer's Allowance, or State Pension. These confirm both the benefit type and the amount, which Greenwich uses to check income disregards and applicable amount premiums.

Bank Statements and Savings

Statements for every bank, building society, and ISA account you hold, covering the past two full months. Greenwich uses these to verify capital. If your total savings exceed £16,000, you are automatically disqualified from LCTS. Between £6,000 and £16,000, the council calculates tariff income from your savings, which reduces your award through the earnings taper.

Official passbooks, share certificates, or property valuation certificates are also accepted where relevant.

Non-Dependant Adults in Your Home

If any adults other than your partner live at your address — an adult child, a sibling, a friend — Greenwich needs their proof of identity plus evidence of their earnings or benefits. This is because a flat £10 per week deduction applies to your award for each non-dependant.

If the non-dependant is a full-time student, provide their student verification letter. Full-time students are exempt from the deduction.

How to Submit

You can upload documents directly during the online application. Alternatively, email scanned or photographed copies to [email protected] with your full name, address, and claim reference number.

If you are taking photos on your phone, make sure each page is clearly legible — blurry uploads are a common cause of evidence being rejected. Photograph in good light, keep the camera steady, and include the full page in each shot.

You can also bring paper documents in person to The Woolwich Centre (35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ).

For a printable evidence checklist you can tick off as you gather each document, our Greenwich Council Tax Reduction guide includes a master checklist organised by document category.

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