Council Tax and Benefits

The Revenue Services division provides a variety of services direct to the residents and businesses of Crawley. These include:-

Council Tax

Council Tax helps pay for local services like policing and rubbish collection. Council Tax applies to all domestic properties, including houses, bungalows, flats, maisonettes, mobile homes and houseboats, whether owned or rented.

Based on the value of properties at 1 April 1991, this money is used to fund the services provided by the council.

Business (Non-Domestic) Rates

Business rates (or non-domestic rates) are charged on non-domestic premises, including most commercial properties such as shops, offices, pubs, warehouses and factories.

The council levies and collects non-domestic rates from businesses based on the rateable value set by the Valuation Office Agency www.voa.gov.uk .

Council Tax Benefit

If you’re on a low income, whether you’re working or not, and need financial help to pay your Council Tax bill, you may be able to get Council Tax Benefit. If you qualify for help, your bill will be reduced, or even paid in full. To find out more or to make a claim call the council on 01923 438616 or read Everything You Need to Know About Housing and Council Tax Benefit .

Housing Benefit

As with Council Tax Benefit, if you are on a low income, whether you are working or not, and need financial help to pay all or part of your rent, you may be able to get Housing Benefit . It is available to council, housing association and private tenants.

To get a personal estimate of the amount of benefit you could get, try our benefits calculator .

Discretionary Housing Payments

Discretionary Housing Payments are extra payments towards rent, Council Tax or both, paid to people claiming benefit, when they need further help with their housing costs because they amount to more than their award of benefit.

Are you getting all the help you are entitled to?

If you are worried you might not be getting all the financial help you are entitled to, whether you are already claiming benefits or have never claimed before, whether you are working or retired talk to Fay Power, the council’s Benefits Promotion Officer.

Contact Fay directly on 01293 438695 or email her at for a “benefit health check”. Fay is also running weekly drop-in sessions at The Town Hall, The Boulevard every Wednesday between 10am and 1pm. Just turn up and ask for her at reception.