Newham Council Tax Hardship Fund: How to Apply for Section 13A Relief

Even with a full Council Tax Reduction award, every working-age household in Newham still pays at least 30% of the bill — that is the minimum contribution built into the 2026/27 scheme. For a Band C property with the single person discount, that 30% works out to around £389 a year. If your household genuinely cannot cover that amount, there is a separate safety net: discretionary relief under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

This is not part of the standard Council Tax Reduction scheme. It is a discretionary fund, financed entirely from Newham's general budget, and the council decides each case individually.

What Section 13A Actually Is

Section 13A(1)(c) gives councils the power to reduce or write off a council tax bill in cases of exceptional financial hardship. The key word is "exceptional" — this is not a top-up for anyone who finds the 30% minimum inconvenient. The council expects you to have already claimed every discount and reduction you are entitled to before applying.

In practice, the fund exists for situations where the gap between your income and your outgoings leaves nothing — or less than nothing — for council tax. Councils across England run their own versions, but Newham's operates through a written application to the Council Tax and Benefits Service.

Who Can Apply

Anyone liable for council tax in Newham who can demonstrate exceptional financial hardship. There is no strict income threshold published, but the council's policy document lists conditions you need to meet:

• You must have already claimed Council Tax Reduction (or been assessed as ineligible)
• All other discounts and exemptions must be accounted for
• You must provide a complete monthly income and expenditure breakdown showing genuine hardship
• The debt must not have arisen from "wilful refusal or culpable neglect" — in other words, you cannot simply have chosen not to pay

Disabled residents, people in temporary crisis (sudden job loss, bereavement, domestic abuse), and households with severe medical costs are the kinds of cases the fund is designed for.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted in writing to:

Council Tax and Benefits Service Newham Dockside, 1000 Dockside Road, London E16 2QU

Your application should include:

1. A covering letter explaining what has caused the hardship and why you cannot pay
2. Your council tax account number (the 10-digit reference on your demand notice)
3. A monthly budget breakdown — every source of income and every expense, including rent, utilities, food, transport, and debt repayments
4. Bank statements for the last two months for all accounts
5. Evidence of the crisis — a redundancy letter, medical evidence, a bereavement certificate, or whatever documents support your situation

If you are not confident writing the letter yourself, Citizens Advice Newham or Community Links can help draft it at no cost.

What Happens After You Apply

The council reviews your application against the fund's criteria. Its policy says it will send a decision notice as soon as practicable after it receives all required information and evidence. Awards are time-limited, so check the decision notice for the period covered and whether you need to reapply if the hardship continues.

A Section 13A decision has a grievance and appeal route under Section 16 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. If you remain dissatisfied with the council's written response, or it does not reply within two months, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England.

Section 13A vs Standard Council Tax Reduction

These are separate schemes. Standard CTR is means-tested and covers up to 70% of your bill based on income, savings, and household composition. Section 13A sits on top of that — it is for the gap that CTR cannot fill.

You do not choose between them. Apply for CTR first (through the normal application process). If the remaining 30% is still unaffordable, that is when Section 13A becomes relevant.

Before You Apply

Make sure you have already:

• Applied for Council Tax Reduction and received your decision
• Checked whether you qualify for a single person discount, disabled band reduction, or any other discount
• Contacted free debt advice if you are behind on payments — StepChange (0800 138 1111) and National Debtline (0808 808 4000) can help with the wider picture before you approach the council for hardship relief

Our Newham Council Tax Reduction guide walks through the full scheme, including how the 70% cap and £6,000 capital limit work, and includes a submission tracking log for documenting every contact with the council — which doubles as evidence of good faith if you later need to apply for hardship relief.

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