Financial support (including help to pay your council tax)
It’s important to carry on paying your council tax if you can.
We use this income to pay for essential social care services - there has been a big increase in requests for help because of COVID-19.
We understand this is a very difficult time. If you do not believe you need to apply for benefits, there are still some options that may help. You can:
- spread your payments over 12 months instead of 10 - this means that your payments will be lower
- defer payment until 1 June - this means that you will paying from June onwards
If one of these options would help you, email us: localtaxation@rutland.gov.uk
Universal Credit
If you are of working age, you can apply for Universal Credit to help with day-to-day living expenses.
You will be given a number to call, to make a telephone appointment. Allow plenty of time to make this call – lots of people are submitting claims, so it may take some time to get through.
If you need help to make a claim for Universal Credit, call the Citizens Advice Rutland helpline:
T: 0800 144 8444
Statutory sick pay
If you’re self-isolating, you may be able to claim statutory sick pay.
Statutory sick pay is now also available for the self-employed.
Help with council tax
To apply for help with your council tax, please complete a benefit claim form.
Fill in as many details as you can.
To submit your benefit claim, you can either:
- Scan or photograph your completed form, and email to benefits@rutland.gov.uk
- Post it to: Revenues and Benefits, Rutland County Council, Catmose House, Catmos Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HP
If you cannot submit your claim in either of these ways, call: 01572 722577
Face to face appointments are unavailable at this time.
Financial hardship
If you’re struggling because of sudden financial hardship, you can apply for help from our crisis fund.
The crisis fund is managed by Citizens Advice Rutland. Because of COVID-19, we are giving them extra funding.
Complete you application as best you can, then contact Citizens Advice Rutland to make you application:
T: 01572 723494
W: rutlandcab.org.uk
The government has increased local housing allowance rates. This means you may get more benefit towards your housing costs.
If your benefit doesn’t cover all of your rent or council tax and you're finding it hard to pay the remainder, you can apply for a discretionary housing payment and/or discretionary funding.
Discretionary housing payments (DHP)
- A DHP is awarded on top of your housing benefit , or the housing element of your Universal Credit.
- The total we pay you can’t be more than your rent.
- The amount of DHP paid to you depends on your individual circumstances.
- You must be able to demonstrate that you are suffering from severe financial hardship.
To apply, download and complete a discretionary housing payment application form
Fill in as many details as you can.
To submit your benefit claim, you can either:
- Scan or photograph your completed form, and email to benefits@rutland.gov.uk
- Post it to: Revenues and Benefits, Rutland County Council, Catmose House, Catmos Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HP
If you cannot submit your claim in either of these ways, call: 01572 722577
Face to face appointments are unavailable at this time.
Discretionary funding for council tax
If you need extra help towards your council tax, you can apply for discretionary funding.
You will have to show that you are suffering from severe financial hardship.
If you need extra help towards your rent, you can apply for a discretionary housing payment (DHP) if you are receiving either housing benefit or a housing element in your Universal Credit.
Read the government guidance for renters and landlords to find out about protection for renters affected by COVID-19.
We will assess you claim as soon as possible after we receive your completed application.
We may need to contact you to ask for more information, or to check some details - it's helpful if you can give us an email address, so we can contact you quickly.
Please don’t call us to check how your claim is progressing we will contact you once we have assessed it.
We know many of you would prefer to talk to us about your claim.
However, we only have a limited number of benefit officers, and we are seeing a big increase in the number of people making claims.
If our officers are taking calls, they cannot process claims.
We are therefore asking people not to call for updates, so our officers can process claims as soon as possible.
If you are eligible for free school meals, you can get a weekly £15 voucher from your child's school to use for buying your child's food in supermarkets.
Read the full government guidance for more information about this scheme.
Government help with childcare costs – if you are a key worker using childcare, visit the Childcare Choices website to find out about the financial help available.
The Fashion and Textile Children’s Trust (FTCT) are offering grants to buy essential items for children whose parents who work in the fashion and textile industry (or have worked in the industry during the last nine years).
Visit the FTCT website for more information and to apply
