 New criteria – Money off your Council Tax
You can claim a Council Tax Reduction if you have a lower income and small or no savings.
We have new qualifying criteria for earnings for the new financial year (2024/25), full details in the table below. You could be entitled to a discount for the first time, or get a different amount.
You could save between 20 per cent and 78 per cent on your Council Tax (up to 100 per cent if you’re pension age). This means you could potentially have hundreds of extra pounds in your pocket.
There are eligibility criteria for reductions, but some income from certain benefits does not count towards claims. Full details are on our website.
How much you could save (working age)
Income amounts shown are monthly.
| Discount |
Qualifying characteristics |
Single- person household |
Couple |
Family - one child |
Family - more than one child |
| 78% |
In receipt of passported benefits |
£590.31 |
£796.97 |
£914.97 |
£1,239.69 |
| 60% |
N/A |
£590.35 - £826.51 |
£796.985 - £1033.10 |
£914.98 - £1,151.18 |
£1,239.74 - £1,475.82 |
| 40% |
N/A |
£826.52 - £1,121.64 |
£1,033.11 - £1,328.23 |
£1,151.19 - £1,446.36 |
£1,475.832 - £1,830.03 |
| 20% |
N/A |
£1,121.65 - £1,475.82 |
£1,328.24 - £1,682.44 |
£1,446.37 - £1,800.48 |
£1,830.04 - £2,125.165 |
| No discount |
N/A |
More than £1,475.83 |
More than £1,682.456 |
More than £1,800.49 |
More than £2,125.176 |
If you prefer to look at earnings weekly, you can check eligibility criteria by weekly earnings on our website.
 Fees abolished for Debt Relief Orders
It’s now easier for residents to get help with debt, after the removal of charges to apply for a Debt Relief Order (DRO).
Previously, residents had to pay a £90 fee but this is no longer required after 6 April.
A DRO is a solution to deal with personal debts you cannot pay. You apply through an approved debt adviser and have to meet certain eligibility criteria. It normally lasts 12 months.
If approved, you stop making payments towards the debts (and interest) listed in the DRO during that time. After the 12 months, you will not have to pay these debts anymore. Gov.uk has a guide on eligibility and how to apply for a DRO.
 Preloved school uniform sale
Our partners First Days Children's Charity are back with its big sale for low-cost school uniform in Wokingham this weekend.
High quality, pre-loved school uniform for primary and secondary children across the borough will be available. There's also toys, books, baby and toddler clothes, equipment and much more.
This is running from The Elevate Centre at Semour House in Denmark Street (RG40 2AZ), next to Denmark Street car park. It will be open from:
- Friday (12 April) from 10am to 6pm
- Saturday (13 April) from 10am to 4pm
We're working with First Days to help provide affordable uniform to students across the borough.
 Are you looking for a job or career advice?
JobCentre Plus and Activate Learning are running a jobs fair at Bracknell and Wokingham College on Friday (12 April). It’s running from 11am to 3pm at the college’s sports hall in Church Road, Bracknell (RG12 1DJ).
If you're looking for job opportunities or career advice, you can meet with potential employers, network with professionals, and explore different career paths.
There will be local job vacancies and apprenticeships to discuss, alongside advice on childcare, advice specifically for residents who are 50 and older, and support from the National Careers Service.
You can register to attend the event on the Eventbrite page. There is also a quiet hour between 10am to 11am in case jobseekers who are neurodiverse would welcome a more quiet atmosphere.
 Improve your home free of charge
The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) is aimed at helping lower income households, living in energy inefficient homes, to improve their property to help make it greener and cheaper to heat.
Improvements would vary depending on the individual property but could include things like insulation upgrades, solar panels, solar hot water and air source heat pumps.
You could get your home improved to ensure cheaper bills in time for next winter. Criteria to apply are:
- Your home is not heated by a gas main (your heating comes from oil, coal or LPG)
- Your home is energy inefficient (EPC rating of D, E, F or G)
- Household income of less than £31,000 or you are receiving an income-related means tested benefit such as Universal Credit
Free fixes for broken items at Wokingham Repair Café
The new Wokingham Repair Café opens its doors for the first time this Saturday (13 April).
Volunteers will assess and do what they can to fix items which are no longer working free of charge.
While you are waiting you can get a drink at the café and enjoy a chat. It’s being run in partnership by the church, Maya’s Refillables and Wokingham in Bloom.
The event is drop in at All Saints Church (RG40 1TN) from 10am to 1pm.
Check what you could be entitled to
Have you tried the Citizens Advice Wokingham entitled to calculator? It helps you get hold of money you could be owed by the Government and other sources.
With the new financial year having just started, now is a good time to see if you could get money and other support, or see if your current support levels could change.
It's free and takes about ten minutes to complete. You'll need information on your savings, income, pensions and existing benefits for you and your partner.
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