Welcome To Wirral

What is a Pensioner Discount and how can I get one?

The full Council Tax bill assumes that there are two adults (aged 18 years or over) living in a home. If only one adult lives there (as their main home), the Council Tax is reduced by a quarter. Pensioner Discount is granted after these discounts and reduces the council tax bill for 2008-09 for those eligible.

Why have the Council decided to grant this and how much is it?

This discount has been awarded by the Council to take effect from 1 April 2007 and the percentage increased from 1% to 2% from 1 April 2008. The Council acknowledges that Council Tax has increased over the past few years. By granting this discount Council tax increases for pensioner households over 75 will now be kept at, or below, the published January 2008 Retail Price Index.

How do I qualify?

To qualify for this discount off your Council Tax bill you must be 75 or over, as must all the occupants of the property, as at 1 April 2008. Certain occupants are not counted for Council Tax purposes if they meet certain conditions. See Discounts for further information.

What happens if I already get Council Tax Benefit?

The Pensioner discount does not apply to pensioners who are in receipt of Council Tax Benefit as they already receive financial assistance to pay their Council Tax.

What do I need to do?

If you think a discount should apply to your please download and complete the Pensioner Discount form in the related links section.

What evidence might I need to support my claim?

If you have applied for a discount, we may contact you if we need further evidence to support your claim.

What can I do if the Council refuses to give me a discount?

First of all contact us and we will explain our decision. If you remain unhappy we have an appeals process. See Council Tax Appeals in the related links section.