Sandwell Council Tax Reduction Child Under 6 — 100% Protection Explained

The Protection That Shields Young Families

When Sandwell cut its maximum Council Tax Reduction from 100% to 85% in April 2025, it built in one major exception: households with a dependent child under six years old living with the applicant.

These families can still receive up to 100% of their eligible council tax liability as a reduction. They're exempt from the 15% mandatory minimum payment that every other working-age household must pay.

The Band B property restriction still applies — so if you live in a Band C or higher property, your eligible liability is calculated at the Band B rate. But within that Band B amount, you can receive a full 100% reduction if your income falls in the right band.

How It Works in Practice

A couple with one child aged four, living in a Band B property, earning £250 combined net per week. Their income falls within the 100% discount band for "Couple + 1 Child" (£0–£262.02). Because they have a child under six, the 85% cap doesn't apply. Result: their council tax liability for the year is reduced to £0.

Without the child-under-six protection, that same family would owe at least £261.86 — 15% of the Band B charge.

When the Protection Ends

This is the part that trips families up. The protection expires on the Monday following the child's sixth birthday. Not the day they turn six — the following Monday. From that date, the 85% maximum award cap kicks in automatically.

If your youngest child turns six on a Wednesday, you lose the protection the following Monday. If it falls on a Monday, the restriction starts the following Monday.

There's no grace period or transitional phase. The council says it will notify you automatically and issue a new bill. One week you owe nothing; the next you owe at least 15% of your Band B liability. For a standard household in Band B, that's £261.86 per year — about £26 per instalment on the usual 10-month schedule.

Planning for the Transition

If your youngest child is approaching six, here's what you can do:

Check your income band. If your household income has risen since you first claimed, you may already be in a partial discount band. The transition from 100% protected to 85% capped will be less dramatic if you're already at 75% or 50%.

Budget for the minimum payment. At Band A, the 15% minimum is £224.44/year (£168.32 with single person discount). At Band B, it's £261.86 (£196.39 with SPD). These are manageable amounts when you know they're coming.

Apply for Section 13A discretionary relief if the new payment creates genuine hardship. Sandwell operates a discretionary reduction policy for extreme financial difficulty, and the sudden loss of full protection is a legitimate ground for a hardship claim.

Report the change if needed. Sandwell should pick up the child's age automatically from your records, but if your bill doesn't adjust, the legal duty to report changes sits with you. The 21-day reporting deadline may carry a £70 penalty for late notification.

Household Composition Matters

The protection applies to the household, not the individual child. If you have two children — one aged seven and one aged four — you keep the protection until the younger child turns six. But the moment your last child under six crosses the threshold, the entire household moves to the 85% regime.

If a new baby arrives or a child under six joins the household (through birth, adoption, or a change of living arrangements), the protection reactivates immediately. Report the change to the council within 21 days.

For a full walkthrough of the child-under-six rules, income band calculations, and a transition planning worksheet, see the Sandwell Council Tax Reduction guide.

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