Lewisham Council Tax Hardship Relief and Section 13A

The Gap the Hardship Fund Fills

Lewisham's Council Tax Reduction scheme caps working-age awards at 75% of net liability, leaving at least 25% to pay. For a Band D property in 2026/27 before other discounts, that residual amount is roughly £559 per year. If you're already on benefits or a low wage, finding an extra £47 a month can push you into genuine hardship.

Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 gives the council discretionary power to reduce or eliminate that remaining liability. Lewisham's Section 13A scheme is separate from its Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which provides emergency help with crisis costs.

Who Can Apply

Any council tax payer can request a Section 13A reduction, but Lewisham says awards are made only in exceptional circumstances and considered individually. For a separate CRF crisis payment, any Lewisham resident may apply; you do not have to receive benefits. The council says applicants will usually need to show:

• You have £1,000 or less in savings after housing costs and essential bills
• Something sudden and unexpected happened in the last four weeks
• You need help with essential living costs or household items and cannot meet the cost from income, savings, or other support
• You can provide evidence and have not received a CRF award in the previous 12 months

The CRF provides crisis support for essential living costs or household items; it does not itself increase your CTR award. Section 13A is the route for asking the council to reduce the council tax liability.

How to Apply

Apply for a CRF crisis payment through the Lightning Reach portal linked from Lewisham's website. If you cannot apply online, call 020 8314 3155 for help. To request a Section 13A reduction, send a written request to the Head of Revenues, 4th Floor, Laurence House, Catford, SE6 4RU. Include:

• Your council tax reference number and CTR claim details
• A clear explanation of the financial crisis and when it started
• Evidence of your income and outgoings (bank statements, benefit letters)
• Proof that other avenues have been tried or aren't available

Lewisham's Section 13A policy says it will decide within 21 days of receiving all required information. A Section 13A reduction is credited to your council tax account; CRF support is usually paid directly in cash, though the council may provide it in another form.

Section 13A Discretionary Reduction

Section 13A reductions and CRF payments are separate forms of discretionary support. Under Lewisham's published Section 13A policy, awards are exceptional, assessed case by case, and intended as a one-off payment to help a resident continue future council tax payments.

A strong application connects the dots clearly: here's the crisis, here's the evidence it's genuine, here's why the 25% minimum payment is impossible right now, and here's proof that no other help is available. Vague statements about general hardship without financial evidence are routinely refused.

Combining With Other Reliefs

Before applying for hardship relief, make sure you've claimed everything else you're entitled to. Stacking reliefs reduces the base liability before the 25% minimum kicks in:

• Single Person Discount (25% off) if you're the only adult in the property
• Disability Band Reduction if your home has been adapted with extra space for a disabled person
• Severe Mental Impairment exemption for residents certified by a GP who also receive a qualifying benefit

Each of these lowers the amount the 75% CTR cap applies to, which in turn shrinks the 25% you owe. The hardship fund should be the last step, not the first.

The Lewisham Council Tax Reduction guide includes a hardship application preparation sheet that walks you through documenting your financial situation and gathering the evidence the council expects to see.

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