Cost-of-living Support Scheme

Welsh Government have announced a support package that will provide a payment to households to help with the rising costs-of-living.

The payments are not taxable and will not affect any entitlement to Welfare Benefits.

The Cost-of-living Support Scheme has two payment schemes:

  • the main scheme (this scheme is now closed)
  • the discretionary scheme

You can only receive a payment from one of the schemes.

Select a scheme to view what's available and who is eligible.

Main scheme

The Cost-of-living Support main scheme closed at 5pm on Friday 30 September 2022.

You may still be eligible for the discretionary scheme.

The main scheme provided a £150 cash grant to a person living in a Denbighshire property on 15 February 2022 and met one of the following qualifying criteria:

  • the property is in council tax Band A, B, C or D
  • the person living in the property was in receipt of Council Tax Reduction Scheme Support (regardless of the council tax property Band)
  • the property is in council tax Band E, but the occupier receives a disabled reduction, reducing the chargeable value to Band D

Council tax Bands

Find a Band for a property in Denbighshire

Who is not eligible for the main scheme

The main scheme is not available where:

  • the property is empty
  • the property is a second home
  • the occupier is in receipt of a severe mental impairment exemption from council tax (in this situation, a payment would most likely be made through the discretionary scheme)
  • the occupier is a care leaver (in this situation, a payment would most likely be made through the discretionary scheme)
Discretionary scheme

Welsh Government has awarded funding for the Discretionary Cost of Living Scheme for people who are not entitled to support under the main scheme.

Who is eligible?

The discretionary scheme will provide a £150 cash grant to a person living in a Denbighshire property on 15 February 2022 and meets one of the following qualifying criteria:

  • the person living in the property was in receipt of a severe mental impairment council tax exemption
  • the person living in the property was in receipt of an exemption from council tax as either a receiver or giver of care
  • the person living in the property was in receipt of an exemption from council tax as a care leaver
  • the person living in the property was in receipt of an exemption from council tax as a student
  • the property is classed as an annexe and the person living in the property was in receipt of a class W exemption (occupied annexes)
  • the person living in the property was in receipt of an exemption from council tax as they are under 18 years old
  • the person lives in a House of Multiple Occupation and has to pay towards their heating / lighting costs
  • the property is in Band F, G, H or I and the person living in the property receives a Disabled Reduction
  • the property is in Band F, G, H or I and the person living in the property does not receive Council Tax Reduction and does not get a disabled reduction but has a disability premium or benefit
  • the person living in the property receives Universal Credit but does not claim Council Tax Reduction Scheme Support (regardless of the council tax property Band)
  • the property is in Band E, F, G, H or I and the person living in the property receives Housing Benefit but does not receive any Council Tax Reduction Scheme Support

People moving into Denbighshire from another country within the UK

We will consider cases for a £150 payment where the person has moved into Denbighshire after 15 February 2022 from another country within the UK where that country’s scheme eligibility date was 1 April 2022.

Band E properties

The discretionary scheme will provide a £115 cash grant to a person living in a Band E Denbighshire property on 15 February 2022.

Who is not eligible for the Discretionary scheme

The Discretionary scheme is not available where:

  • the property is empty
  • the property is a second home
  • the property is in Band F, G, H or I, unless eligible under one of the qualifying criteria
  • the resident qualifies under the main scheme

How to apply

Please answer the following question/s to find how to apply. 

  • Which Cost-of-living Support Scheme would you like to apply for?

Receiving a support payment

In most cases, we will send a cost-of-living payment to your bank account if you pay your council tax by Direct Debit.

We have now started to send payments for the cost-of-living Support Scheme.

If you apply for a payment, we aim to process applications within 28 days of receiving an application.

Direct Debit

You can set up a Direct Debit online to pay your council tax, and if eligible, as long as the first Direct Debit payment has been made, we can send a cost-of-living payment to your bank account without you having to make an application.

Set up to a Direct Debit to pay your council tax

Joint council tax accounts

We would make a payment to the lead person on the council tax account or in the case of a Direct Debit payer, the payment will go out to the bank account where the Direct Debit is collected from.

Unsuccessful applications

We will contact you to let you know if your application is unsuccessful and provide the reasons for this decision. There is no appeal process but you can contact us if you would like us to review our decision. 

More information

Select one of the following for more information:

Properties not on the council tax list

We will not be able to make a payment for a property until it has been brought into the Council Tax list by the Valuation Office Agency.

Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Houses of Multiple Occupation are excluded from the main scheme but may be considered in the discretionary scheme.

Opting out of the cost of living scheme payment

If you would like to opt out of receiving an automatic cost of living scheme payment, you can contact us and provide your council tax account number and a let us know that you do not want the payment.