Pension Age Council Tax Support in East Riding of Yorkshire

If you have reached State Pension age and live in East Riding of Yorkshire, the council tax support rules that apply to you are completely different from the working-age scheme. The pension-age scheme is national — set by central government, not by East Riding Council — and it is significantly more generous.

Key Differences From the Working-Age Scheme

The headline difference: pension-age residents can have their entire council tax bill covered. There is no compulsory minimum payment. And the capital limit is £16,000 rather than £6,000 — with an additional rule that if you receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, savings above £16,000 are ignored entirely.

Who Counts as Pension Age

You qualify for the pension-age scheme once you reach the qualifying age for State Pension. State Pension age is rising from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028 for people born on or after 6 April 1960; it is phased according to date of birth. If one partner in a couple has reached pension age and the other has not, the household is assessed under the working-age scheme until both partners qualify.

Check your State Pension age using the calculator on gov.uk if you are unsure.

How the Income Assessment Works

Unlike East Riding's working-age scheme, which uses fixed income bands, the pension-age scheme uses a traditional means test:

1. Your weekly income is calculated (pensions, earnings, benefits, other income)
2. A set of standard allowances is deducted based on household composition (these are set nationally)
3. If your income is at or below the applicable amount, you receive the maximum reduction — potentially 100%
4. If your income exceeds the applicable amount, the excess is tapered at 20% (for every £1 above the threshold, your reduction falls by 20p)

Certain income is disregarded entirely, including Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, and Personal Independence Payment.

If you receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, the national rules disregard your income and capital; non-dependant deductions may still affect the award.

Capital Rules

Savings below £10,000 are ignored. Savings between £10,000 and £16,000 are assessed using tariff income of £1 per week for each £500, or part of £500, above £10,000.

If your total capital exceeds £16,000, you are normally disqualified — unless you receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, in which case the capital limit does not apply.

The main home is always excluded from the capital assessment. Other property, land, and investments are counted at market value minus 10% for notional sale costs.

How to Apply

The application route is the same as for working-age support. Apply online through the East Riding portal at eastriding.gov.uk/mycounciltax, or contact the council on (01482) 393939 for an assisted application. The Your Money Team at (01482) 394633 can also help with the form and check whether you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to.

You will need proof of identity, income (pension statements, benefit letters), and savings (bank statements for the last two months). If you receive Pension Credit, bring your Pension Credit award letter — it simplifies the process significantly.

Mixed-Age Couples

If you have reached pension age but your partner has not, you are assessed under the working-age local scheme, not the national pension-age scheme. This matters because the working-age scheme caps support at 80% with a £6,000 capital limit. The pension-age rules only apply once both partners reach qualifying age.

For working-age residents who want to understand their own scheme — the income bands, the 20% minimum payment, and how to maximise their reduction — the complete East Riding guide covers everything step by step.

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