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Orkney Islands Council

Council Tax Reduction Reviews

Information Leaflet

IMAGE: The Orkney Islands Council crest, with the text “ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL”, identifies the organisation issuing this leaflet.

Council Tax Reduction Review

Council Tax Reduction is a reduction on your Council Tax you may be entitled to if you are on a low income. If you are dissatisfied with the Council Tax Reduction decision made by the Council you can, provided it is done within two months of that decision, seek a review of the decision by writing to the Council requesting a review.

A review of eligibility for Council Tax Reduction will consider the amount of income you have with the amount that you need to live on (the applicable amount) this will vary depending on the circumstances of the individual and their dependents.

The request for review must state the reasons why you think the Council Tax Reduction decision is incorrect. The Council must consider the request and reply with the decision in writing within 2 months.

Further Review

If after receiving a review decision from the Council you remain dissatisfied then you can seek an independent ruling from the Local Taxation Chamber who will conduct a further review.

A further review by the Local Taxation Chamber can only be requested after the Council has carried out an internal review.

The only exception to this is if you do not receive a written response from the Council within two months of writing and requesting a review. If this occurs, you or your representative can request in writing an independent ruling from the Local Taxation Chamber.

The Local Taxation Chamber is an independent body which is an addition to the Scottish Tribunals Service, providing an additional review service to safeguard individual’s rights to administrative justice when assessing an individual’s eligibility for Council Tax Reduction. They will consider the facts presented to them and give an independent ruling as to whether the decision made by the Council is correct or not.

An application for further review should be made directly by the individual applicant or their representative in writing to the: Local Taxation Chamber, First Floor, Bothwell House, Hamilton Business Park, Caird Park, Hamilton, ML3 0QA

Further information, including application forms, are available via their website

Local Taxation Chamber (scotcourts.gov.uk)

When notified by the Local Taxation Chamber of a further review the Council will forward their decision regarding the review and the supporting documentation to the Local Taxation Chamber. This includes copies of the notification of review to the applicant, responses to that notice, relevant extracts from the applicants Council Tax Reductions application, summary of response to review and any other supporting communications.

The Council will also forward a copy of the documentation they are submitting to the Local Taxation Chamber to the applicant at this time, prior to the hearing.

Further Advice

If you need more information you can contact:

The Benefits Section, Corporate Services, Orkney Islands Council, Council Offices, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY.

Telephone: 01856873535 extension 2116

Email: benefits@orkney.gov.uk

Website: http://www.orkney.gov.uk/

Information regarding the Council Tax Reduction Review Panel including the extent of their powers is available via their website at Local Taxation Chamber (scotcourts.gov.uk) or by telephoning 01698 390012 by email to LTCAdmin@scotcourtstribunals.gov.uk

Further information regarding Council Tax Reduction, how it works, FAQs and Reviews are also available via the Scottish Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/local-government/17999/counciltax/CTR

Document – April 2023.