Hounslow Council Tax Reduction Income Bands Explained
How Hounslow's Income-Banded System Works
Hounslow doesn't use the old-style means test for working-age Council Tax Reduction. Instead, the council operates a five-band system based on your gross monthly earned income. Each band sets a fixed percentage of your council tax bill that the council covers — from 75% at the top down to 15% at the bottom. Earn above the Band 5 ceiling and you get nothing.
The key rule: only earned income counts. Every penny of unearned income — Universal Credit, PIP, DLA, Child Benefit, maintenance, trust payments — is completely disregarded. The council looks solely at what you bring home from work.
The Five Bands for 2025–2027
Hounslow adopted this structure for two financial years (2025/26 and 2026/27). The monthly earnings thresholds shift upward for households with children:
Single applicant (no children):
| Band | Monthly Earnings | Support |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £0 – £346.40 | 75% |
| 2 | £346.41 – £519.60 | 60% |
| 3 | £519.61 – £692.80 | 45% |
| 4 | £692.81 – £806.00 | 30% |
| 5 | £866.01 – £1,039.20 | 15% |
Couple (no children):
| Band | Monthly Earnings | Support |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £0 – £433.00 | 75% |
| 2 | £433.01 – £606.20 | 60% |
| 3 | £606.21 – £779.40 | 45% |
| 4 | £779.41 – £952.60 | 30% |
| 5 | £952.61 – £1,125.80 | 15% |
For each child, the thresholds increase: £10 per month for one child, £30 per month for two or more children.
What the 75% Cap Means in Practice
Band 1 is the maximum — even with zero earnings, Hounslow's working-age scheme covers no more than 75% of your net council tax. You always pay at least 25%.
For a Band D property (£2,090.36 annually in 2025/26), that minimum 25% works out to roughly £43.55 per month. A single person living alone also gets the 25% Single Person Discount, reducing the minimum further to about £29.03 per month.
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How Children Affect Your Band
The child allowance is built into the income thresholds, not subtracted from your earnings. A single parent earning £400 per month with one child falls into Band 2 (threshold rises to £399.70 for Band 1), but the same parent with two or more children stays in Band 1 (threshold rises to £476.30).
This means larger families can earn more before dropping to a lower support band — Hounslow's way of acknowledging higher household costs.
What Happens at the Band Boundary
A small pay rise could push you into a lower band. Going from Band 1 to Band 2 as a single applicant means your support drops from 75% to 60%, adding roughly £26 per month on a Band D property. Report income changes within 21 days — late reporting can result in a clawback of excess support.
If a wage increase pushes you close to a boundary, our Hounslow Council Tax Reduction guide includes worked income-band calculations and a worksheet to map out exactly where you'll land.
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