Assistance from the Council

Assistance from the Council

Housing advice, environmental health and housing, disabled facilities grants, household support fund.

Open Council Tax configuration options

Council Tax

There are several ways you can pay your Council Tax which are listed on the back of your Council Tax bill. You can pay by 10 or 12 monthly instalments for the annual bill. The bills are sent out with 10 instalments - if you'd like to pay over 12 instead, please set up your direct debit.

If you're on a low income, you may be eligible for Council Tax Reduction. Find out and apply on the Make a New Claim page.

If you're not eligible for Council Tax Reduction, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit or other benefits.

Other people may qualify for a discount or exemption on their Council Tax, including:

  • Students
  • Carers and care workers
  • Single adults
  • Disabled residents
  • People with enduring mental health problems

To find out more, please see Reductions - Discounts and Exemptions.

Other Help and Support

  • The Household Support Fund can help if you are struggling with increases to food costs, utility bills or other essentials.
     
  • If you are in receipt of housing payments and need financial support to help with rent in advance, a deposit to support moving to another property or even if you have fallen into rent arrears, you can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments.
     
  • The Housing Advice Team can help with landlord mediation, advice on finding alternative accommodation, financial assistance with moving costs or maintaining accommodation. Email Housing Advice
     
  • Independent Living Grants/Disabled Facilities Grants are available to help with adaptions to your home to help with everyday tasks. This might include equipment like stairlifts, or adaptions like ramps and wet rooms.
     
  • The Environmental Health team can help with healthy home grants, housing repair grants and home improvement grants and loans. Email Environmental Health
     
  • Devon Home Choice allows you to apply online to access all social housing, which includes housing associations and local authorities across Devon.
     
  • Free Cookers, Cookbooks and Electric Blankets - The Council has secured funding to provide free slow cookers, electric blankets and throws, clothes airers and cookbooks to residents in need. We are working in partnership with  Tamar Energy Community (TEC), who will target foodbanks and warm hubs to distribute these.
    • Electric throws are very economical - costing from as little as 5p per hour to run, especially when you compare them with the cost of keeping your central heating on for hours or heating rooms you're not actually using.
    • Slow cookers cost an average of 8p per hour, instead of 68p per hour for a traditional oven or cooker.
    • Clothes airers drying clothes on an airer indoors (with a window open to avoid damp) or outside, to shorten or even avoid the tumble dryer completely, can heavily cut costs. Tumble driers cost up to £1 per cycle.
  • For more information, please contact Tamar Energy Community