Waltham Forest Council Tax Hardship Fund: How to Apply for Extra Help

What the Hardship Fund Is

Standard working-age households can receive up to 57% Council Tax Support, leaving at least 43% of the bill to pay. Financially vulnerable households may receive up to 85%, leaving 15%. For some, the remaining amount is unaffordable. The Discretionary Council Tax Hardship Scheme exists as a separate safety net for those cases.

It operates under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, which gives the council discretion to reduce or write off council tax for residents in exceptional financial difficulty. This is a different pot of money from the main Council Tax Support scheme, and it requires a separate application.

Who Can Apply

You need to meet three conditions:

1. You have an active council tax liability in Waltham Forest
2. You've already applied for the main Council Tax Support scheme (or you're receiving it)
3. Your income is genuinely insufficient to cover essential living costs after paying the remaining council tax

The scheme is aimed at residents facing severe financial strain — not mild budget pressure, but situations where paying the council tax bill means going without food, heating, or other necessities. Typical applicants include people dealing with sudden income loss, unexpected medical costs, or a life crisis that's pushed them past what the standard support covers.

How to Apply

Applications go through a dedicated hardship form on the Waltham Forest website, separate from the main CTS application. You can also request a form by contacting Revenue Services on 020 8496 3000.

The evidence requirement is more detailed than a standard CTS claim. You'll need:

• Three months of bank statements for all accounts
• A full income and expenditure breakdown — every source of money coming in, every regular outgoing payment
• Supporting evidence for any exceptional costs (medical bills, emergency repairs, funeral expenses)

The council compares your total household income against your unavoidable outgoings. If there's a genuine shortfall — if basic living costs exceed income even with CTS applied — the hardship fund may cover part or all of the remaining council tax.

How Decisions Are Made

This is discretionary relief, not an entitlement. The council has limited funds and uses its judgment on each case. There's no income band grid or automatic calculation. An officer reviews your full financial picture and decides whether to grant a reduction, and if so, how much.

The council decides the amount and period of any award based on your circumstances. It may reassess your case if your situation changes.

If your application is refused, you can request an internal management review within one month of the decision. Unlike main CTS decisions, hardship decisions don't carry an automatic right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal — they're local discretionary determinations.

The Difference Between Hardship Relief and Main CTS

It's worth being clear about what each does:

• Council Tax Support is the main income-banded scheme. It reduces your bill by 17% to 85% depending on your income and vulnerability status. You apply once and it runs for the financial year unless your circumstances change.

• Hardship relief is for the gap that remains after CTS. It's discretionary, means-tested against your full budget, and granted case by case. You apply separately and the assessment is different.

Many residents don't know the hardship scheme exists. If you're already on the maximum support for your circumstances and still struggling to pay the remaining bill, this is a possible next step before the situation escalates to arrears. If you already have arrears, contact StepChange (0800 138 1111) or National Debtline (0808 808 4000) for free debt advice.

Our Waltham Forest Council Tax Reduction guide walks through both the main CTS application and the hardship fund process, including the income-and-expenditure format the council expects.

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