Hillingdon Council Tax Hardship Fund and Section 13A Discretionary Reduction

When the Standard Scheme Isn't Enough

Hillingdon's working-age Council Tax Reduction scheme operates on fixed income bands. If your income sits just above the Band 6 ceiling, or your capital is slightly over £6,000, the standard scheme gives you nothing. But severe financial hardship doesn't always fit neatly into banded thresholds.

That's where Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 comes in. It gives Hillingdon Council independent discretionary power to reduce or write off council tax liability for individual residents facing exceptional financial hardship.

Section 13A(1)(c) Discretionary Reduction

This is a separate power from the main CTR scheme. The council can grant a discretionary reduction to any council taxpayer — including people who don't qualify for standard CTR — if they demonstrate that their financial situation is genuinely exceptional and can't be relieved through other statutory routes.

Key features:

• Not a right: this is fully discretionary. The council is under no obligation to grant it.
• Individual merit: every application is assessed on its own facts by the Assistant Director of Exchequer Services.
• Budget-limited: the cost of discretionary reductions is borne entirely by Hillingdon Council (unlike the main CTR scheme, which receives central government funding). The amount available depends on the council's budget.
• Last resort: you must show that your financial crisis cannot be relieved by other statutory means before the council will consider discretionary help.

How to Apply

There's no standard online form for Section 13A(1)(c) applications. You need to submit a written request to the council explaining:

1. Your full financial circumstances — income, expenditure, savings, debts
2. Why your situation is exceptional (not just difficult, but beyond what the standard scheme handles)
3. What other support you've already applied for and the outcomes
4. What specific reduction you're requesting and for what period

Include two months of bank statements and a full income-and-expenditure breakdown. The council will want to see that every available avenue has been pursued before committing discretionary funds.

The Crisis and Resilience Fund

Alongside Section 13A(1)(c), Hillingdon runs a Crisis and Resilience Fund using government grant allocations. This fund provides short-term emergency financial grants for residents experiencing severe hardship — covering essential household costs, energy bills and emergency items.

The fund isn't specifically for council tax, but it can relieve the financial pressure that makes council tax unaffordable. Applications require two months of bank statements and an expenditure assessment. Contact Hillingdon Council or the Hillingdon Advice Partnership for referral.

Care Leaver Reduction

Hillingdon provides a 100% council tax reduction for qualifying care leavers under Section 13A(1)(c). This applies until the care leaver reaches 21 years of age, reducing their council tax bill to nil after any statutory discounts have been applied.

This is one of the more generous care leaver provisions among London boroughs and is specifically established under the council's discretionary powers rather than the main CTR scheme.

Where Hardship Sits in the Deduction Hierarchy

Discretionary Section 13A reductions are applied last — after all statutory exemptions, discounts (Single Person, Disabled Band, SMI) and the main CTR award have been calculated. They can reduce the remaining liability; the Crisis and Resilience Fund is a separate support route and is not specifically for council tax.

This means you should apply for standard CTR first, even if you think you'll be refused or receive a small award. The discretionary application will be stronger if you can show you've already secured every available statutory reduction.

Free Help with Applications

If you're in a position where you need to apply for exceptional hardship relief, you're likely in a position where free advice matters most. Citizens Advice Hillingdon (01895 422479) can help you prepare a hardship application and ensure you're claiming all available support. StepChange (0800 138 1111) and National Debtline (0808 808 4000) can assist if council tax arrears are part of a wider debt problem.

For the full council tax support landscape in Hillingdon, including the standard income-band scheme, see our Hillingdon Council Tax Reduction guide.

See more England guides →